Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra rejects changes to car CO2 regulations, despite EPP’s push to weaken laws amid industry’s struggles.
European Union’s climate policy chief Wopke Hoekstra has claimed that the European Commission is not considering altering Europe’s guidelines to cut CO2 emissions from cars, following a campaign from the European Union’s biggest political group to shorten the laws.
The European Parliament’s largest lawmaker group, the centre-right European People’s Party, undertook a drive this week to weaken the climate controls, adding to stress on Brussels from automakers and national administrations to urgently assist Europe’s weak autos sector.
According to Reuter, European Union climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra was asked whether he was now thinking of changing the car CO2 regulations.
“No. The answer is no,”
he briefed Reuters.
Wopke Hoekstra and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen both belong to the EPP political group.
How is Europe’s car industry impacted by emissions targets?
The European Union’s car industry is in upheaval, with thousands of employees on the line as it stumbles with weak demand, Chinese competitors, and lower-than-expected electric vehicle deals. The EU has expressed that climate rules are required to meet Europe‘s legally binding emissions objectives, and they deliver a predictable investment environment for European businesses.
The major demand of the EPP is that car makers are given comfort from 2025 CO2 limitations, which many are anticipated to miss. European automaker association ACEA has expressed the industry potentially confronts 15 billion euros of penalties for failing to fulfil the 2025 targets, which it states would divert funds from investments.
European Union climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra has earlier dismissed such concerns, stating carmakers’ far lower penalties for missing 2020 EU emissions targets. Volkswagen then confronted penalties surpassing 100 million euros. The EPP indicates utilising a three-year average to count automakers’ adherence with next year’s CO2 limits—letting them miss next year’s targets and avoid penalties if they catch up in 2026 and 2027.
