Merz calls on the European Union to lift the ban on combustion engines from 2035

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that he would advocate for the European Union to lift the ban on the production of vehicles with combustion engines from 2035. He stated that he wanted to give the automotive industry and its suppliers the opportunity to demonstrate the technological path to climate neutrality by 2035 or 2045.

The European Union has set itself the goal of completely reducing CO₂ emissions from new cars and delivery vehicles by 2035, which in practice means the end of combustion engines in new vehicles.

However, Merz points to the need for greater regulatory flexibility and spoke out in favor of hybrid models.

The German automotive industry, including brands such as Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes, is lobbying intensively for a relaxation of the targets in order to extend the life of combustion engines.

In his speech, Merz emphasized the importance of promoting innovation and competition in the automotive sector. At the same time, he wants to strengthen domestic battery production for the growing market for electric vehicles.

(reuters, sie)