The EU rejects calls to weaken car CO2 rules, emphasizing climate goals despite automaker pressures and EPP's push for relief on 2025 emission limits.
The European Commission is not considering changing Europe's policies to cut CO2 emissions from cars, despite a push from the EU's biggest political group to weaken the laws, the bloc's climate policy chief told Reuters on Thursday.
The centre-right European People's Party - the European Parliament's biggest lawmaker group - launched a campaign this week to weaken the climate rules, adding to pressure on Brussels from automakers and national governments to urgently help Europe's ailing autos sector.
Asked whether he was now considering changing the car CO2 rules, European Union climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said he was not.
"No. The answer is no," he told Reuters on the sidelines of an industry event in Brussels.
Hoekstra, like European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, is part of the EPP political group.
Europe's car sector is in turmoil, with thousands of jobs on the line as it struggles with weak demand, Chinese competition and lower than expected electric vehicle sales.
Brussels has said the climate rules are needed to meet Europe's legally-binding emissions goals, and they provide a predictable investment environment for European companies.
The main demand of the EPP is that automakers are given relief from 2025 CO2 limits, which many are expected to miss.
European automaker association ACEA has said the industry potentially faces 15 billion euros ($15.8 billion) of fines for failing to meet the 2025 targets, which it says would divert money from investments.
Hoekstra has previously played down such concerns, noting carmakers' far lower fines for missing 2020 EU emissions targets. Volkswagen then faced penalties exceeding 100 million euros.
The EPP suggests using a three-year average to count automakers' compliance with next year's CO2 limits - allowing them to miss next year's targets and dodge fines if they catch up in 2026 and 2027.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has “no trust” in the United States and will only consider negotiations if Was...
Georgia is positioning itself as a future energy bridge between the Caspian and Europe, backed by major infrastruc...
Uzbekistan’s Department for Combating Economic Crimes says it has uncovered a ...
Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war as well as...
Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that the U.S. military blockade of Iran’s southern ports could trigger a n...
Türkiye’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has called for stronger Türkiye-European Union relations, saying modernising the Customs Union is essential to closer integration amid shifting geopolitical and economic realities.
After years of limited engagement, relations between Syria and the European Union are drawing renewed diplomatic attention as both sides explore cooperation on migration, security and regional stability..
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cited Azerbaijan as an example of what he described as a sovereign foreign policy, recalling remarks made by President Ilham Aliyev during talks in Yerevan, where he sharply criticised resolutions adopted against his country by the European Parliament.
Minval Politika has released new footage it says shows former International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo discussing alleged contacts with Armenia’s foreign minister and campaigns linked to Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran loomed over U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China, as signs emerged that the conflict is causing a shift in alliances across the Middle East.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has “no trust” in the United States and will only consider negotiations if Washington shows seriousness. His remarks came as talks on Iran’s nuclear programme continued, with Trump and Xi also opposing Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
Thousands of fans turned out in Iran's capital Tehran for a massive farewell ceremony on Wednesday night for their national football team, wishing them success before their departure for the World Cup 2026 matches co-hosted by the United States and Mexico.
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy facilities in recent months, amid stalled progress in peace negotiations. The strikes have targeted refineries, processing plants, pipelines and export infrastructure, causing repeated disruptions across Russia’s energy sector.
Negotiations between Samsung Electronics and its workforce on Wednesday have broken down, officials said, raising fresh concerns over potential disruption to South Korea’s export-heavy economy.
More than 100 people were killed in a violent storm that battered India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, with rain and hail, the state Disaster Management and Relief office said on Thursday.
Climate change has driven a record surge in wildfires across Africa, Asia and other regions this year, with scientists warning that conditions are likely to worsen further as the northern hemisphere enters summer and El Niño weather patterns intensify.
Destruction of the world's tropical forests eased in 2025 from a record high, a report showed on Wednesday, underscoring how decisive policy can help keep trees standing despite pressures from a warmer climate and expanding agricultural frontiers.
Kazakhstan has ratified a regional green energy agreement with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, signalling Central Asia’s ambition to become a key supplier of renewable energy to international markets.
China’s growing use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles took centre stage at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, which opened on 24 April, highlighting the country’s expanding clean transport ambitions.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment