The European Parliament on Tuesday gave its final approval to a ban on new sales of carbon-emitting petrol and diesel cars by 2035, with the aim of taking them off the continent’s roads by mid-century.
European Union member states have already approved the legislation and will now formally approve it at an upcoming ministerial meeting, despite opposition from conservative MEPs, the largest group in Parliament.
Supporters of the bill had argued that it would give European carmakers a clear timeframe to switch production to zero-emission electric vehicles and spur investment to counter competition from China and the United States.
This, in turn, will also support the European Union’s ambitious plan to become a “climate neutral” economy by 2050, with zero net greenhouse gas emissions.
“Let me remind you that between last year and the end of this year, China will bring 80 electric car models to the international market,” EU vice-president Frans Timmermans warned MEPs.
“They’re good cars. They’re cars that will become more and more affordable, and we have to compete with that. We don’t want to give up this essential industry to outsiders.”
But opponents argued that neither the European industry nor many private motorists are ready for a dramatic cut in the production of internal combustion engine vehicles, and that hundreds of thousands of jobs are at risk.
“Our proposal is … to let the market decide which technology is best to achieve our goals,” said MEP Jens Gieseke, a member of the center-right European People’s Party.
Gieseke declared that arguments by Green and Socialist MEPs that electric cars are cheaper to use had been “nullified” by the crisis of rising energy costs.
“In Germany 600,000 people work in the production of ICE, these jobs are at risk,” he declared, urging the European Commission to rethink plans to extend the ban to trucks and buses as well.
The EPP group warned of what it said would be the “Havana effect” – Europeans continuing to drive fuel-guzzling vintage cars after new sales are banned because they cannot find or afford an electric one.
Opponents also argue that car batteries are produced abroad by European competitors such as the United States, but Timmermans argued that thanks to EU-backed investment, European production would increase.
Green MEPs stressed the importance of the ban in reducing emissions and pollution.
– Victory for the planet? –
Karima Delli, chair of the transport committee, said: “Today’s vote is a historic vote for the green transition.
“We will no longer have, or almost no, petrol or diesel cars on our roads by 2050… it’s a win for our planet and our populations”
Cars currently account for around 15 percent of all CO2 emissions in the EU, while transport in total accounts for around a quarter.
In October last year, EU member states, the European Commission and Parliament negotiators agreed on a proposal to reduce CO2 emissions from new cars in Europe to zero by 2035.
In practice, in the final legislation, this means stopping sales of new petrol and diesel cars, light commercial vehicles and hybrids on the block before that date, in favor of all-electric vehicles.
– US Green Grants –
Automaker Germany and conservative MEPs have been skeptical of the new rules, fearing the burden of retooling their plants and retraining workers while global rivals have looser targets.
But the European auto industry itself did not lobby against the law, with many companies already jockeying for position in the race to become electric vehicle giants.
However, since the law began its journey through the EU legislative process, the United States has presented a grand plan to subsidize the green transition of its own industry with government aid.
This has raised fears in Europe that its American rival will divert investment and jobs into the production of electric vehicles and batteries.
Currently, around 12 percent of new cars sold in the European Union are electric, and consumers are moving away from CO2-emitting models as energy costs and greener traffic regulations add up.
Meanwhile, China, the world’s largest car market, wants at least half of new cars to be electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen by 2035.
The law passed the Strasbourg assembly by 340 votes in favor, 279 against and 21 abstentions.
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