Eight countries, accounting for almost a third of the EU’s 27 members, have signed a joint paper opposing any new exhaust emission rules as well as new testing requirements for cars and vans. The baulking nations are overwhelmingly among Europe’s industrial and resource based economies: France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
The Euro 7 proposal to reduce air pollution from new motor vehicles sold in the EU is set to come into force in 2025 in an attempt to meet the European Green Deal’s zero-pollution ambition while keeping vehicles affordable for consumers and promoting Europe’s competitiveness. The scheme has been widely regarded as unrealistic and there is growing opposition from a sizable portion of the economy which depends upon the internal combustion engine – set to be banned in the bloc by 2035.
Czech carmaker Skoda has warned of 3,000 job losses if the proposal went ahead. The Automotive corporation Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has argued that the regulations for internal combustion engines are „useless” and would have a negative impact on the industry while making no difference for the environment. Volkswagen Passenger Cars CEO Thomas Schafer has pointed out the shift towards electrification, with a vast majority of new VW production slated to be electric by 2030, would leave just a handful of years for which redesigned engines would be needed and raise prices on small cars like VW Polo or Skoda Fabia to a point where buyers can’t afford them.
The EU is now looking deeper into the realm of synthetic fuels, possibly allowing new combustion engines to live on beyond 2035.
