The European Union nations and the European Parliament on October 27, 2022, signed an agreement on legislation to phase out new CO2-emitting vehicles by 2035. The deal was struck between the representatives of the European Parliament and the European Council. This is the first agreement made under the bloc’s flagship Fit for 55 package, which is designed to achieve the EU’s climate goals of cutting emissions of the gases that cause global warming by 55% over this decade.
The European Parliament said, “the deal is a clear signal ahead of the UN COP27 Climate Change Conference that the EU is serious about adopting concrete laws to reach the more ambitious targets set out in the EU Climate Law”.
Pascal Canfin, the chair of the environment committee of the European Parliament said, “this is a historic decision as it sets for the first time a clear decarbonisation pathway – with targets in 2025, 2030 and 2035 and aligned with our goal of climate neutrality by 2050”.
“This sector, which accounts for 16 percent of European emissions at the moment, will be carbon neutral by 2050,” Canfin added.
Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal said on Twitter:
We have a deal! It’s no wonder the first #Fitfor55 deal is on the CO2 car standards: the pace of change in the past years has been truly remarkable. EU car industry is ready, consumers are eager to embrace zero-emission mobility. So let’s go full speed ahead! #EUGreenDeal
Timmermans took part in the negotiations as the European Commission’s representative.
Dutch MEP Jan Huitema, the Parliament’s rapporteur said, “with these targets, we create clarity for the car industry and stimulate innovation and investments for car manufacturers. In addition, purchasing and driving zero-emission cars will become cheaper for consumers”.
According to the data of the European Environment Agency, transport accounts for 30% of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Almost two-thirds of the oil in the EU is used in the transport sector. Transport is the only sector in Europe where greenhouse gas emissions have increased in the past 30 years, rising 33.5 percent between 1990 and 2019.
