The European Parliament on Tuesday endorsed a motion to accelerate approval of revised CO2 emissions targets for cars and vans, granting European automakers more time to meet regulatory requirements and potentially avoid significant financial penalties.
The proposed change, initiated by the European Commission, allows vehicle manufacturers to comply with emissions limits based on their fleet averages over a three-year period from 2025 to 2027, rather than solely in 2025. The adjustment aims to ease the immediate compliance burden and respond to concerns from industry stakeholders over their ability to meet short-term electric vehicle (EV) sales targets.
Automakers have warned that without changes, current rules could result in fines of up to 15 billion euros ($17 billion) this year. The industry continues to face challenges scaling up EV production and sales, particularly in comparison to faster-moving competitors from China and the United States.
The vote clears the way for a final decision on the proposal, which still requires approval from both the full Parliament in a scheduled Thursday vote and EU member state governments.
While the Commission views the extension as a practical measure to support Europe’s car industry during its transition to cleaner technologies, critics argue that easing the timeline risks undermining Europe’s climate ambitions. Industry groups promoting electric transport have cautioned that the proposal could slow investment in EV infrastructure and weaken the regionās position in the global electric vehicle race.
The revised emissions framework reflects a broader policy balancing act between environmental targets and the competitiveness of the European automotive sector.
Source: Reuters