Roberta Metsola on thermal engines: “We can’t go back on an agreement”

The ban on heat engines in 2035, challenged by Germany, was invited to the European summit. In particular by the voice of the President of Parliament.

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Journalist at the World Service

By Véronique Lamquin

Published on 03/23/2023 at 22:02
Reading time: 3 mins

Officially, thermal engines are not on the agenda of the European summit, convened this Thursday and Friday in Brussels. And for good reason: the file is theoretically closed. The Parliament and the Council agreed, last autumn, on a text providing for the ban (on sale) from 2035. MEPs voted for it in December, all that was missing was the signature of the Twenty- Seven. Alas, the initials might not be affixed, Germany having… changed its mind. It now demands that the door remain open for synthetic fuels, aka “e-fuels” produced by combining hydrogen and CO2, a technology explored by Porsche, BMW and Volkswagen.

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