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.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said Monday that Brussels is committed to reaching a “constructive” trade agreement with the US.
European shares started the week positively on Monday, recovering losses from the previous session after U.S. President Donald Trump postponed his plan to impose a 50% tariff on European goods.
The European Union has rejected Russia’s request to open WTO consultations over its carbon border tariff, saying talks are not possible due to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
The European Union has warned fast-fashion giant Shein to comply with consumer protection laws or face possible fines, intensifying scrutiny of the online retailer’s business practices.
UK coastal waters are experiencing record-breaking temperatures, up to 4°C above average, in what experts call a “super intense” marine heatwave — a possible harbinger of extreme summer weather ahead.
Republicans are hailing President Donald Trump’s newly passed tax legislation as a historic cut—but buried within it is a federal fee hike for electric and hybrid vehicles that critics say punishes clean energy consumers and risks stalling EV progress.
Pope Leo XIV met with Napoli’s soccer team at the Vatican on Tuesday to celebrate their Serie A victory. Napoli clinched the title, known as the "Scudetto" after beating Cagliari, finishing just one point ahead of Inter Milan.
Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov met with Green Climate Fund Executive Director Mafalda Duarte to explore deeper cooperation on climate initiatives, including plans to open a regional GCF office in Uzbekistan.
A California homeowner cut ties with his gas utility by converting his water heater into a thermal battery - slashing emissions, lowering bills, and storing energy at home.
AnewZ takes to the streets of Yerevan and Baku to ask a simple yet deeply complex question: How do you see peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan? In the first part of our special report, we hear the hopes, doubts, and scars still shaping people’s perspectives on both sides.
Anton Kobyakov, adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum that the USSR’s dissolution was legally invalid and that the Soviet Union still exists under constitutional law, framing the Ukraine war as an “internal process.”
Kyiv faced a large-scale Russian drone and missile assault overnight, with explosions and gunfire echoing throughout the city, forcing residents to shelter in subway stations.
A car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club’s Premier League title in the city centre on Monday evening, injuring dozens including 4 children. A 53-year-old man believed to be the driver was arrested at the scene.
In a region long defined by conflict and complex history, AnewZ set out to hear the voices that matter most- those of the people.
UK coastal waters are experiencing record-breaking temperatures, up to 4°C above average, in what experts call a “super intense” marine heatwave — a possible harbinger of extreme summer weather ahead.
Republicans are hailing President Donald Trump’s newly passed tax legislation as a historic cut—but buried within it is a federal fee hike for electric and hybrid vehicles that critics say punishes clean energy consumers and risks stalling EV progress.
A California homeowner cut ties with his gas utility by converting his water heater into a thermal battery - slashing emissions, lowering bills, and storing energy at home.
Energy giants from Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam have signed a landmark agreement to explore exporting Vietnamese offshore wind power across borders, marking a major step toward Southeast Asia’s green energy transition.
A new report warns that six of Europe's staple food imports—cocoa, coffee, wheat, maize, rice, and soy—face rising threats from climate change and biodiversity loss, putting the continent's food security and economy at risk.
UK coastal waters are experiencing record-breaking temperatures, up to 4°C above average, in what experts call a “super intense” marine heatwave — a possible harbinger of extreme summer weather ahead.
Republicans are hailing President Donald Trump’s newly passed tax legislation as a historic cut—but buried within it is a federal fee hike for electric and hybrid vehicles that critics say punishes clean energy consumers and risks stalling EV progress.
Pope Leo XIV met with Napoli’s soccer team at the Vatican on Tuesday to celebrate their Serie A victory. Napoli clinched the title, known as the "Scudetto" after beating Cagliari, finishing just one point ahead of Inter Milan.
Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov met with Green Climate Fund Executive Director Mafalda Duarte to explore deeper cooperation on climate initiatives, including plans to open a regional GCF office in Uzbekistan.
A California homeowner cut ties with his gas utility by converting his water heater into a thermal battery - slashing emissions, lowering bills, and storing energy at home.
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