📋 Tender Overview
The European Commission has presented a package for the future of the automotive sector. Through the revision of CO2 standards it is proposed to lift the complete ban on the sale of cars with internal combustion engines by 2035. From 2035 car manufacturers will have to meet a target of reducing exhaust emissions by 90% while the remaining 10% of emissions will need to be compensated by using low-carbon steel produced in the Union or e-fuels and biofuels. However the Czech Republic considers this proposal to be completely insufficient and will advocate for the complete abolition of the ban.
I do not support just like our entire government the ban on the production of new cars with internal combustion engines after 2035. I therefore believe that it would be best to completely abolish the ban on combustion engines rather than just cosmetically limit it as proposed by the European Commission says Minister of Transport Ivan Bednarik.
According to the Czech Ministry of Transport it is also problematic to set mandatory targets for states to ensure that large companies will only purchase electric vehicles or vehicles powered by alternative fuels in the future. At the same time a definition of a small affordable European electric vehicle is being introduced. Manufacturers will be favored for the production of such a vehicle through so-called super credits. The parameters set for such vehicles are also considered too restrictive by the Czech Republic which also rejects the introduction of mandatory quotas for companies.
The European automotive industry is already burdened with a multitude of regulations and standards. I do not consider it beneficial for us to impose further restrictions and bans on it. In the end this would cause more harm than good: cars would become less affordable many people would not be able to afford a new vehicle the vehicle fleet would continue to age and we would do a disservice to the environment adds the minister.
According to the Commissions statement the proposals are based on the Action Plan for the automotive industry and inputs from the industry and key stakeholders obtained during the Strategic Dialogue led by President von der Leyen since January 2025. The legislative proposals presented by the European Commission will now be discussed in the Council and the European Parliament. The Czech Republic will strive for a fundamental change to the proposed package and will seek allies among member states as was the case during the discussions of previous European legislation in the automotive sector.
