Germany, Italy Protest Strict EU Plan for Combustion-Engine Ban
- Poland, Hungary also signal their opposition to bloc’s plans
- German transport minister steps up call for e-fuels exemption
A worker looks over the body a car at the Volkswagen factory in Zwickau, Germany.
Photographer: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
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Germany and Italy are threatening to block a European Union ban on new combustion-engine cars, putting its green goals at risk if they don’t obtain a compromise.
Germany is demanding the EU executive come up with a proposal to exempt vehicles that use climate-neutral synthetic fuels, while Italy is broadly opposed to the regulation. The plan requires carmakers to reach a zero-emissions target by 2035.