Chancellor Olaf Scholz has defended the federal government’s blockade in the dispute over cars with combustion engines against criticism from European partners. “There is a clear understanding in Europe,” said the SPD politician today at an EU summit in Brussels. This includes the EU Commission making a proposal as to how vehicles with combustion engines that are operated exclusively with climate-neutral e-fuels can also be approved after 2035. “That’s a consensus.”
However, anyone who listened to other heads of government soon realized that the German approach was at least irritating for some partners, if anything it was anger. Most recently, the FDP in particular ensured that an important climate protection law could not be passed in the EU, according to which only emission-free new cars may be registered in the EU from 2035.
Allegation against Germany: breach of trust
The prime minister of Latvia, Krisjanis Karins, was the clearest. With regard to the German approach, he spoke of a “very, very difficult sign for the future”. It is surprising that a government suddenly decides differently after an agreement has already been reached. Karins warned, “The whole architecture of decision-making would fall apart if we all did that.” Diplomats in Brussels express themselves more clearly behind closed doors. They accuse Germany of a breach of trust.
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel reacted annoyed to the debate on Thursday. Of course you can talk about anything at the summit. But actually the topic is not on the agenda. “It’s not a request concert when we come to Brussels.” The European Council of heads of state and government should not be responsible for everything, but should give impetus. For everything else, according to Bettel, there are councils of ministers.
What happened that Chancellor Scholz had to listen to a lecture like Karins’ in front of the assembled European public? And at an EU summit, which was actually about further support for Ukraine, the exchange with UN Secretary General António Guterres and Europe’s economy?
FDP insists on e-fuels for everyone
It’s about the future of the car as we’ve known it for decades – with an internal combustion engine that runs on diesel or petrol and emits CO2. Actually, negotiators in the EU states and the European Parliament had already agreed in the autumn on a far-reaching end of combustion engines from 2035. However, Germany traded an addition to the agreement, according to which the EU Commission should submit a proposal on how vehicles that run exclusively on CO2-neutral fuels can be approved after 2035. This refers to so-called e-fuels, i.e. artificial fuels that are produced with green electricity and are climate-neutral.
In the EU Commission, the corresponding paragraph was always read in such a way that special vehicles such as ambulances or fire engines should be affected. According to the Berlin interpretation, however, the e-fuel exception should apply to all vehicles. At the beginning of the week, proposals for a solution that the EU Commission had submitted to the federal government became known. Accordingly, the authority defined criteria for the approval of new vehicles that are operated exclusively with CO2-neutral fuels.
Germany then responded in a corresponding letter on Thursday evening, according to government circles. The ministry had recently made it clear that it was striving for a solution as quickly as possible. Department head Volker Wissing (FDP) also emphasized on ZDF, for example, that he wanted to reach a binding agreement on “technology-neutral regulation”.
Above all, the FDP wants combustion engines that only use e-fuels to be allowed to be approved after 2035. Wissing therefore withdrew German approval at the beginning of March shortly before the planned final vote and has since repeatedly called for a “legally secure agreement with the EU Commission” for a “technology-neutral” solution. This is exactly what Wissing’s experts are currently negotiating with the EU Commission – also parallel to the summit.
Scholz sees no mistakes in the federal government
In Brussels, many have long feared that the entire law on combustion engines could tip over. Because in the meantime other countries have joined the German attitude. Italy, for example, where the right-wing government of Giorgia Meloni now governs. Or Austria. Chancellor Nehammer said today that he believes it is important to further develop Europe as a development location and not to endanger it. “E-fuels and the green combustion engine are the way to go. That has to be pushed now.”
Scholz, on the other hand, was demonstratively calm. The talks between the Ministry of Transport and the EU Commission are on the right track. He sees no faults in his government. Instead, he refers to the EU Commission’s proposal on e-fuels that has now been called for: It is “always right to stick to your own promises”.
