Combustion engine dispute: no legal cert • Table.Briefings

The dispute with the EU Commission over the 2035 phase-out of internal combustion engines has been settled, German Transport Minister Wissing claims to have prevailed: The way is clear for vehicles powered by e-fuels, he announced. Yet the negotiated compromise offers little more certainty than before Germany’s FDP voted against it.

In the dispute over the end of the internal combustion engine, the German Free Democratic Party (FDP) always demanded legal certainty that „e-fuels only“ vehicles could also be registered after 2035. A corresponding demand was indeed included in a recital of the tightened EU fleet standards, which stipulate CO2 reduction targets for car manufacturers. But Climate Commissioner Frans Timmermans already stressed in June last year that it was up to the Commission whether or not to present such a proposal. That was not enough for the FDP, which was the reason for their rebellion.

Combustion engine dispute: no legal certainty despite agreement

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