French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday that an agreement has been reached with Germany regarding the future of the European car industry, emphasizing that the goal is to ensure the success of the sector's transformation while maintaining climate ambitions and boosting production within Europe.
In this context, Macron stated in a post on his "X" account that Paris and Berlin have agreed on a common approach to ensure the sustainability of the European car industry and enhance its competitiveness, by aligning environmental objectives with industrial requirements.
Under the agreement, car manufacturers will be required to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 90% by 2035, instead of a complete phase-out, taking into account the growing role of renewable fuels and biofuels in reducing emissions.
For his part, the agreement includes strengthening the "Made in Europe" principle by tightening the conditions for benefiting from public support and linking them to the use of components manufactured within EU member states or in partner European countries.
He noted that the agreement represents a compromise between the French and German positions, as Paris showed greater flexibility regarding the future of combustion engine cars, while Berlin agreed to tighten the rules on European industrial preference.
He added that the new direction aims to support the European industry in the face of growing competition, particularly from Chinese car manufacturers that continue to expand their presence in European markets.
The European Union had previously approved a plan to gradually phase out sales of new combustion engine cars by 2035 as part of its climate goals to reduce emissions, but the slowdown in demand for electric vehicles and concerns about the competitiveness of the European industry and the influx of Chinese vehicles prompted several countries, including Germany and France, to call for a review of some policies related to the green transition.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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