HEIDELBERG (dpa-AFX) - Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has welcomed the planned policy shift by the EU Commission on the phase-out of combustion engines. Merz said in Heidelberg: "We are not questioning the goals, but we have to take a different path to reach them." According to the German government's assessment, the Commission will likely take this path next week, based on everything heard so far, Merz said.
"We will only be able to contribute to climate protection if we have a competitive industry. That is why I very much welcome the Commission now moving forward to make a decision next week on the largest industrial sector we have in Germany, namely the automotive industry and its future."
Merz sees industry in extremely difficult situation
The Commission will have the support of the German government in moving quickly down this path, Merz continued. "Because we do not have much time left to lose." Large parts of the automotive industry in Europe, including Germany, and the supplier industry are in an extremely difficult economic situation. "That is why we need to correct the framework conditions in Europe as quickly as possible so that this industry has a future in Europe."
The EU Commission plans to propose a reversal of the so-called combustion engine phase-out. According to current planning, the authority intends to recommend allowing new cars with combustion engine technology even after 2035, as confirmed to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur by sources within the Commission.
Representatives of EU member states and the European Parliament had originally agreed in 2022 that new cars in the EU should no longer emit climate-damaging carbon dioxide (CO2) from 2035 onwards.
Merz: E-mobility remains the "main road"
Merz has repeatedly advocated vigorously for changes to the planned ban. After the German government agreed on a common position, he asked the EU Commission in a letter at the end of November to revise the regulation on the combustion engine phase-out.
Merz said in Heidelberg that electromobility would be "the main road." "But there will be other forms of drive technology." In 2035, 2040, and 2050, millions of combustion engine vehicles will still be driving on the world's roads. These combustion engines must also be able to run CO2-neutral. "We are sticking to the goal, but we are not allowing politics to unilaterally determine the path."
The chairman of the EPP Group in the EU Parliament, Manfred Weber, said he was pleased that the EU Commission would put a clear proposal on the table next Tuesday to abolish the combustion engine ban. Merz and Weber made their comments following a board meeting of the EPP Group in the European Parliament./hoe/DP/men
