MEPs debated this Tuesday about the crisis facing the automobile industry on the old continent, with car manufacturers facing ever-increasing number of factory closures linked to falling sales.
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Plummeting sales, factory closures ever more numerous, vehicle recall campaigns… MEPs debated this Tuesday the crisis which threatens the European automobile industry.
A “zero-emission” European vehicle fleet in 2035
The objective of the sector’s transition towards vehicle production “zero emissions” was at the heart of the debates, with the legal limit on CO2 emissions dropping to less than 94 grams per kilometer next year and car manufacturers saying they cannot meet this deadline.
“Car sales in the EU are below the pre-COVID-19 level. While China has become the largest market. Demand has shifted towards zero-emission vehicles. So we have set a framework clear for a transition to zero-emission vehicles with a goal of 100% “zero-emission” cars by 2035“, said Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, during his opening speech to Parliament.
Weaknesses in investment and production chains
Some MEPs defended the idea that carbon neutrality of the European automobile fleet in 2035 is an impossible objective to achieve, pointing out the weakness of the investment plans and the flaws in the sector’s production chain.
“We’re taxing electric vehicles. It’s not sustainable. We can’t do it in the time frame you’ve given us. There’s no proper grid infrastructure. We’re not providing enough funding. There’s not enough demand. It’s too expensive and it’s very difficult to use electric vehicles and it doesn’t pollute less.” said Elena Donazzan, a far-right Italian MP.
The resolution of this question will be the subject of a vote in parliament during a future session.
