The European Parliament approved on Wednesday June 8, despite fierce opposition from the right, Brussels' proposal to reduce emissions from new cars to zero from 2035, de facto only authorizing the sale of electric vehicles.

MEPs, meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg, validated the text on the regulation of CO2 emissions from cars and vans, which is part of the European Union's ambitious climate plan, by 339 for (249 votes against, 24 abstentions).

This tight vote determines the position of MEPs before their negotiations with member states to finalize a compromise.

Cars account for at least 12% of CO2 emissions in the EU.

The adopted text takes up the intermediate objectives proposed by Brussels: reduction of 15% of automobile emissions by 2025 and 55% in 2030.

While the Parliament had failed earlier Wednesday to agree on a reform of the carbon market, it approved several other texts of the climate package, including the increase in the binding targets for CO2 capture by "carbon sinks" natural (forests, land use, etc.).

fierce battle

The objective of automotive "zero emissions" gave rise to a bitter battle, with an amendment from the EPP (pro-European right and leading force in Parliament) proposing to aim instead for a 90% reduction in automotive emissions by 2035 .

This would have made it possible to continue selling hybrid cars and, according to the EPP, to encourage alternative technologies.

The amendment was ultimately narrowly defeated.

For their part the Greens, who wanted to bring forward the ban on heat engines to 2030, were not convinced either.

The right, which also called for taking into account the carbon emitted for the production of a car, did not pass an amendment promoting the use of "synthetic fuels" and other biofuels deemed less carbon-intensive than fossil fuels.

In addition, the text provides that luxury vehicles (between 1,000 and 10,000 passenger cars registered per year) benefit from a derogation allowing them to be equipped with a combustion engine until 2036.

With AFP

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