EU Softens 2035 Combustion-Engine Ban as MEPs Reach Compromise

Compromise on CO2 targets

• Three major European Parliament groups agreed on a draft to soften the 2035 ban on new combustion-engine car sales.
• The proposal would cut CO2 emissions from new passenger cars by 87.5 percent by 2035 compared with 2021 levels, instead of 100 percent.
• The compromise still requires formal approval, and the zero-emission requirement remains the legal baseline until then.

Negotiators from the European People's Party, the Socialists and Democrats, and the liberal Renew Europe group reached an agreement after talks that reportedly ran late into the night (Czy po 2035 roku nadal będzie można kupić samochody benzynowe? Frakcje UE osiągnęły nowy kompromis | Najnowsze wiadomości z kraju i ze świata - upday News – upday.com). Under the draft, carbon dioxide emissions from new passenger cars sold in the European Union would need to fall by 87.5 percent by 2035 compared with 2021 levels, instead of the 100 percent cut previously required (UE rozważa delikatne zmniejszenie rygorów. "To są kpiny" – dorzeczy.pl) (Zakaz aut spalinowych od 2035 roku. UE chce zmian - Motoryzacja w INTERIA.PL – interia.pl) (UE łagodzi zakaz aut spalinowych od 2035 roku. Europosłowie uzgodnili kompromis – managerplus.pl). The current legal baseline remains a zero-emission requirement for new passenger cars and vans registered in the bloc from 2035.

Franco-German push

The breakthrough followed a joint initiative by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the CDU and French President Emmanuel Macron, who backed a shared position that would lower the emissions reduction goal. Media reports say the proposal is aimed at keeping car manufacturers from facing heavy regulatory penalties if they continue to sell petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles after 2035.

What changes for manufacturers

If the compromise is approved, carmakers could keep selling new combustion-engine and hybrid models beyond 2035 without the large fines that the stricter rule would trigger. The changes are also meant to support European car producers, which face growing competition.

Criticism from the right

Commentators on the right have criticised the plan. Tomasz Bocheński called for an end to what he described as a "madness" in climate policy and argued that the EU is trying to impose electric cars on consumers against market realities. Critics say the original deadline was pushed through without regard to consumer demand.

Next steps

The compromise still needs formal approval before it can take effect. Until then, the 2035 zero-emission requirement remains the legal baseline for new cars registered in the bloc.