Automobile: the European Parliament votes the end of heat engines in 2035

Published on: 06/09/2022 – 04:20 MEPs validated, on Wednesday, a text aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from new cars to zero. This tight vote determines the position of MEPs before their negotiations with member states to finalize a compromise. The European Parliament approved on Wednesday June 8, despite fierce opposition from the right, Brussels’ proposal to reduce emissions from new cars to zero from 2035, de facto only authorizing the sale of electric vehicles. MEPs, gathered in plenary session in Strasbourg, validated the text on the regulation of CO2 emissions from cars and vans, which is part of the European Union’s ambitious climate plan, by 339 for (249 votes against, 24 abstentions) This tight vote determines the position of MEPs before their negotiations with the Member States to finalize a compromise. Cars account for at least 12% of CO2 emissions in the EU. The adopted text takes up the intermediate objectives proposed by Brussels: reduction of car emissions by 15% by 2025 and 55% in 2030. While Parliament does not failed earlier on Wednesday to agree on a reform of the carbon market, he approved several other texts of the climate package, including the raising of the binding targets for CO2 capture by natural “carbon sinks” (forests, use land…).Bitter battleThe objective of “zero emissions” for automobiles gave rise to a bitter battle, with an amendment from the EPP (pro-European right and leading force in Parliament) proposing to aim instead for a reduction 90% of car emissions in 2035. This would have made it possible to continue the sale of hybrid cars and, according to the EPP, to encourage alternative technologies. The amendment was ultimately narrowly defeated. For their part, the Greens, who wanted to bring forward the ban on combustion engines to 2030, were not convinced either. The right, which also called for taking into account the carbon emitted for the production of a car, did not failed to pass an amendment promoting the use of “synthetic fuels” and other biofuels considered less carbon-intensive than fossil fuels. a derogation allowing them to be equipped with a heat engine until 2036. With AFP