EU Climate Plans - Kretschmer greets Leyens E-Fuels-Initiative
Minister-President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) welcomed EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU)'s proposal for exemptions for so-called E-Fuels from the combustion engine ban up to 2035. "Our climate policy must be competitive, technology-open, and limit ourselves to a framework," he said in a statement. "Otherwise, we risk our prosperity and acceptance in the population."
Kretschmer spoke of a good and important course correction for Germany and Europe. "In fact, we should not bet everything on individual mobility – politics doesn't know better than the market and the tens of millions of car drivers in the EU," said Kretschmer. The exemption for E-Fuels could only be a first step.
The EU states and European Parliament had sealed the end of new cars with diesel and gasoline engines from 2035 in March 2023. Concretely, this means that new cars may no longer emit carbon dioxide, as it is produced during the combustion of gasoline and diesel. The German government had advocated for exceptions for E-Fuels - synthetic fuels, with which theoretically climate-neutral combustion engines can be operated.
Von der Leyen for "technology-neutral approach"
The re-elected EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) had recently announced in her political manifesto for the coming five years an initiative for exemptions for E-Fuels. Explicitly it says there, "a technology-neutral approach is necessary, in which E-Fuels will play a role, by specifically adjusting the regulations in the context of the planned review." Von der Leyen speaks here of the review of the decision on the combustion engine ban, which is already planned for 2026.
Details about this proposal for a relaxation of the already decided EU-wide combustion engine ban are still open. In a press conference after her re-election in the European Parliament, Von der Leyen gave no concrete answer to the question of whether private individuals will still be able to buy cars with combustion engines after 2035.
- The CDU's Michael Kretschmer, as Minister-President of Saxony, supports Germany and Europe's adoption of a competition-driven, tech-open climate policy, avoiding overreliance on individual mobility.
- Kretschmer believes that the EU's decision to phase out new diesel and gasoline cars by 2035 should leave room for exceptions, such as for synthetic E-Fuels, enabling climate-neutral combustion engine operation.
- Ursula von der Leyen, EU Commission President and a fellow CDU member, proposes a technology-neutral approach in her political manifesto, emphasizing E-Fuels' role and the need for adjusted regulations.
- Von der Leyen also highlights the planned 2026 review of the combustion engine ban decision, suggesting an opportunity for reevaluating potential exceptions.
- The details of this proposal for relaxing the EU-wide combustion engine ban remain unclear, and Von der Leyen declined to provide a definitive answer during her European Parliament re-election press conference regarding private ownership of combustion engine cars post-2035.
- The automobile industry and environmentalists may find common ground in this debate, seeking a balance between environmental policy and economic considerations related to the shift from conventional vehicles to electric and E-Fuel-powered alternatives.
- As discussants consider the assumed impact of EU regulations on Germany's and European nations' prosperity and popular acceptance, it calls for careful examination of the blend between innovation, market forces, and societal needs in shaping future environmental policies, including support for emerging solutions like E-Fuels in the transition towards a sustainable future.
