End of the combustion dispute in sight – politics

The end of the conflict between the German government and the EU over the phasing out of internal combustion engines is in sight. Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) told the German Press Agency that they had consulted closely with the EU Commission and, after careful examination, sent them a constructive proposal for a solution. “We assume that this not only satisfactorily answers all content-related questions, but also the legal ones.” Wissing added: “There should be nothing standing in the way of the approval of newly registered vehicles with combustion engines that are fueled exclusively with synthetic fuels even after 2035.” It is now expected that the EU Commission will issue a corresponding declaration, name clear time targets and initiate the process for corresponding legal acts.

“I am confident that we will soon find a good solution,” said Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday evening in Brussels after the end of the first day of the EU summit. According to the President of the European Commission, the project is an important pillar for achieving the EU climate goals. The background to this is a fundamental agreement between the European Parliament and EU states, according to which only zero-emission new cars may be registered in the EU from 2035. Germany, above all Minister of Transport Volker Wissing (FDP), but had urged the EU to allow new cars with combustion engines that fill up with e-fuels – i.e. climate-neutral artificial fuels that are produced with green electricity.

The FDP’s no to the combustion engine off had in the Traffic light coalition for dispute taken care of. He hopes “that we can untie many knots and overcome many blockages this week,” said Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) in the middle of the week in the “Daily Issues”. Before that, he had really gotten into a rage: It couldn’t be “that in a progressive coalition only one coalition partner is responsible for progress and the others for preventing progress.”