EU Automotive: Von Der Leyen Promises More Flexibility
Meanwhile, Brussels is working on an “industrial alliance that will allow companies to pool their resources”
The European Commission is not changing its position on the automotive industry’s transition to sustainable energy, but has promised more flexibility. This was announced during the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry held on February 3.
The Brussels “dialogue” started with the topic of innovation, which, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen explained, “must without any doubt be central to everything we do for the future of the automotive industry in Europe. For example, there is agreement on the need to actively develop software and hardware for autonomous driving.” Competition, however, is very strong, especially from China, so “we must act with scale and strive for growth (…) We have decided to create and support an industrial alliance that will allow companies to pool their resources and jointly develop software, microchips, and autonomous control system technologies.”
Dialogue participants then turned to the issue of the auto industry’s transition to clean energy. The starting point of the discussion was the producers’ demand for more flexibility so that the current regulations do not put undue pressure on an industry that is already undergoing a very serious crisis.
“The key principle is balance,” von der Leyen stated. “On the one hand, we need predictability and fairness to those who entered the market among the first and successfully completed their tasks. This means that we should stick to previously agreed goals. On the other hand, it is important to take into account the views of all stakeholders who are calling for more pragmatism and technological neutrality in these challenging times. This is especially true for the 2025 targets and the potential penalties for non-compliance.” Therefore, an amendment to the CO₂ emission regulations is planned that will give companies three years (instead of one) to comply and avoid penalties.
As early as this year, penalties for exceeding the emission limit of 94 grams of CO₂ per kilometer for all new cars were to come into effect.