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.
Poland to prioritise joint EU defence funding during its presidency, urging unity on security as a shared European goal. Ministers to explore funding options in April.
The European Union and South America's Mercosur bloc have reached a historic agreement on a long-delayed free trade deal, but the pact now faces fierce opposition in Europe, particularly from France.
Pro-EU demonstrations in Georgia have entered their ninth day, with hundreds gathering outside the parliament in Tbilisi to protest the government’s suspension of EU membership talks.
EU leaders António Costa and Kaja Kallas visit Kyiv, reaffirming unwavering support for Ukraine amid intensified Russian attacks and uncertainty over U.S. policy.
Israeli troops have entered the buffer zone between Syria and the Golan Heights following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
After more than a decade of waiting, Romania and Bulgaria will become full members of Europe’s Schengen free-travel area starting January 1, 2025, following Austria's decision to lift its veto.
G7 leaders pledge support for a Syrian transition to credible, inclusive governance, emphasizing human rights, rule of law, and territorial integrity.
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.
South Korea’s parliament passed impeachment motions on Thursday against Justice Minister Pak Song Ce and National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ci-ho.
Negotiations at COP29 in Baku face a critical impasse as sharp divisions over climate finance and fossil fuel commitments threaten progress.
"Come up with the video in its full form," demands the COP29 CEO, Elnur Soltanov, in an exclusive interview with AnewZ. The chief executive has broken his silence on the claims he was using his position to organise potential fossil fuel deals.
Rising global temperatures are set to make 2024 the warmest year on record, exceeding the critical 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels. With no cooling La Niña event, experts warn that this acceleration in warming underscores the urgent need for global action on emissions.
2024 is set to be the hottest year ever recorded, with global temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Extreme weather events, linked to human-induced climate change, have wreaked havoc worldwide, as CO2 emissions hit record highs despite global green pledges.
In soils the right balance of fungi and bacteria is very important to maintain a healthy soil for both forests as well as agricultural lands. Due to intensive farming practices, we see that the fungal diversity and the population in soils have come down drastically.
The G20 summit in Cape Town, South Africa, is focusing on financing recovery for nations hit by climate-induced disasters and extending debt relief to developing countries.
The United Nations has issued a stark warning at COP16 in Riyadh: droughts are draining the global economy by over $300 billion every year.
Israeli troops have entered the buffer zone between Syria and the Golan Heights following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
After more than a decade of waiting, Romania and Bulgaria will become full members of Europe’s Schengen free-travel area starting January 1, 2025, following Austria's decision to lift its veto.
G7 leaders pledge support for a Syrian transition to credible, inclusive governance, emphasizing human rights, rule of law, and territorial integrity.
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.
South Korea’s parliament passed impeachment motions on Thursday against Justice Minister Pak Song Ce and National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ci-ho.
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