How Germany tore down a giant pillar of EU climate policy

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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on POLITICO or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Germany and the center-right European People’s Party have forced the EU to abandon its landmark 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars
• The European Commission will replace the outright ban with a weaker target requiring 90% emissions reductions, allowing some combustion-engine and hybrid cars after 2035

🔭 The context: Berlin’s last-minute intervention reversed a policy once seen as untouchable under Ursula von der Leyen’s Green Deal
• Germany argues the ban threatened industrial competitiveness, consumer choice, and jobs in Europe’s largest car market
• The revised framework allows continued sales of combustion vehicles if emissions are offset through EU-made green steel and alternative fuels
• Cars account for 16% of total EU emissions, making the policy one of Europe’s most visible climate measures

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Weakening the ban risks slowing Europe’s transport decarbonization at a critical moment
• The Commission estimates 2.6 million CO₂-emitting cars could still be sold after 2035 under the new rules
• Continued reliance on combustion engines may delay emissions cuts needed to meet EU climate targets and prolong air pollution
• Critics warn the move undermines policy certainty, potentially discouraging investment in electric vehicles and clean mobility infrastructure

⏭️ What’s next: The proposal now enters negotiations among EU member states and the European Parliament
• France has signaled resistance, calling post-2035 combustion sales a red line
• The Commission is relying on zero-emissions corporate fleet mandates as a backstop to keep EV adoption on track

💬 One quote: “The ideology of pure electric is ending,” said one EU diplomat after Germany’s intervention

📈 One stat: Under the revised target, up to 25% of new cars sold after 2035 could still emit CO₂

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