EU governments agree to cut car emissions faster than proposed by Germany

The environment ministers of the EU member states have agreed to seek more ambitious CO₂ car emission cuts by 2030 than both the European Commission and the German government had initially proposed. Average CO₂ emissions of new passenger cars registered in the EU will have to be 15 percent lower in 2025 and 35 percent lower in 2030, compared to the emission limits valid in 2021, according to the agreement reached by the Council of the European Union. Germany’s environment minister Svenja Schulze had grudgingly argued for limiting CO₂ car emission cuts to 30 percent by 2030 – as also proposed by the European Commission – despite believing the proposal falls far short of what is necessary to mitigate climate change. “In very intensive negotiations, we also succeeded in convincing our German colleagues and other states to increase their ambitions to 35 percent,” said Elisabeth Köstinger, federal minister for sustainability and tourism of Austria and chair of the Council meeting at a press conference. The agreement means that the Council’s Austrian Presidency has a mandate to start negotiations with the European Parliament, which had recently agreed to seek a 40 percent cut by 2030. The first meeting takes place on 10 October.

Find the press release in English here, the agreement in English here, and watch the press conference here.

Find background in the news item Merkel opposes more ambitious EU car fleet emissions targets and the articles Germany launches task force to kickstart shift to sustainable mobility and German environment ministry pushes for tougher EU car emission rules.