It has always been clear that the future of transport would be one of the toughest issues in the EU's ambitious climate plans.
Around a quarter of emissions come from the transport sector.
Unlike in industry and the energy sector, CO2 emissions have been increasing since 1990. According to an analysis by the EU Commission, emissions must fall by 90 percent by 2050 so that the EU can achieve its goal of becoming climate-neutral - i.e. not emitting more CO2, than can be withdrawn from the earth's atmosphere in a natural or artificial way.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Climate Commissioner Frans Timmermans wanted to make the automotive industry responsible.
They wanted to reduce the CO2 emissions of new cars to zero by 2035 and create a new emissions trading scheme for cars and traffic.
Hendrik Kafsack
Business correspondent in Brussels.
Follow I follow
They had expected resistance from the member states and in the European Parliament.
Before the decisive meeting, however, the dispute over the CO2 limit values for new vehicles and the “expansion” of emissions trading brought the Commission itself to the limit.
This Wednesday, the college is supposed to adopt the “Fit for 55” climate package, which aims to reduce EU emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
Eight to ten commissioners, including influential ones such as Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis and the French EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton, opposed an end to the combustion engine before 2040.
Resistance announced
The resistance to the new emissions trading for traffic and buildings was even greater. Half of the commissioners are said to have raised concerns, including Breton again. According to information from the FAZ on Monday, the heads of cabinet of the commissioners struggled unsuccessfully for a solution for twelve hours. They met again for an "emergency meeting" on Tuesday at 11 am.
Above all, the critics of emissions trading for traffic and buildings complain that the resulting higher costs for petrol or heating oil hit socially disadvantaged groups in particular and overwhelmed poorer countries. "Then the German motorists buy the Bulgarian tenant away the CO2 rights for heating," says the MEP for the Greens, Jutta Paulus. The chairman of the Environment Committee in Parliament, Pascal Canfin from the party of French President Emmanuel Macron LREM, argues that emissions trading for traffic and buildings cannot work because private households, unlike industry, for example, cannot make economically rational decisions. In the EU Parliament, apart from the CDU, there was virtually no one in favor, he warned on Tuesday.
It is noticeable that the resistance is heavily controlled by France. There Macron had bad experiences with the “yellow vests” movement, which arose in response to the planned increase in taxes on fossil fuels. The Eastern Europeans have also announced resistance, while Germany supports the plans. However, there has been a comparable emissions trading system in this country since the beginning of the year.
Von der Leyen and Timmermans have bet on being able to catch the critics with a new climate social fund. According to a draft that is available to the FAZ, 20 percent of the revenue from the new emissions trading scheme will flow into it. The money is then to be distributed among the states according to a key that is still open in the document. They should be able to support the modernization of buildings or socially disadvantaged groups. Ultimately, states could do what they wanted with the money, criticized MEP Michael Bloss (Greens).