BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Following months of debate, the CDU/CSU and SPD have agreed on a unified stance for EU-level negotiations regarding the relaxation of the combustion engine ban. "We are entering the consultations in Brussels with complete technological neutrality," Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) stated in Berlin. He added that the Federal Government is heading into negotiations "with a very strong, closed, and emphatic position."
Controversial EU proposal
In December, the EU Commission proposed allowing the registration of new internal combustion engine vehicles even after 2035 - a departure from the originally negotiated phase-out. Future exemptions would require CO2 emissions to be reduced by only up to 90 percent compared to the 2021 baseline.
Söder warned of "own goal for Germany"
Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder described the EU's current proposal on the combustion engine ban as a major "own goal" for Germany. "We must not simply hand over this vital market to China," the CSU leader remarked. He noted that the coalition's automotive package secures jobs and supports the supply industry.
SPD leader and Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil emphasized that there must be no "German Vote" on such a critical issue. While he maintains his belief in the future of electric vehicles, he argued that more flexibility is needed in the interim to strengthen the EU internal market.
The term "German Vote" refers to a German abstention during a vote in the Council of the European Union, typically resulting from internal disagreements within the federal government.
However, the Grand Coalition believes the current proposal does not go far enough. Germany is demanding, for instance, that vehicles powered exclusively by renewable fuels or modern biofuels be immediately credited as zero-emission vehicles under fleet regulation standards.
The CDU, CSU, and SPD also intend to ensure that plug-in hybrids and range-extender vehicles remain viable options. They are calling for the suspension of the tightening of the "utility factor" scheduled for 2027. This factor measures the extent to which plug-in hybrids contribute to manufacturers' climate and fleet targets.
Final vote in the EU Council in June
In recent weeks, the SPD and Union had been unable to reach a common position within the government on how to evaluate the EU Commission's proposals. While the CDU and CSU rejected them, the SPD had initially refrained from taking such a clear stance, which would have forced the German government to abstain in the final vote. The EU Council is set to hold a final vote on the proposals in June, following a further vote in the European Parliament./had/DP/men
