Germany and France Agree Joint Position to Weaken EU 2035 Combustion Engine Ban
Germany and France agreed on a joint position to weaken the EU's planned 2035 phase-out of new combustion engine cars, lowering the CO2 reduction target from 100 to 90 percent versus 2021 without requiring automakers to offset the remaining gap. In exchange, Germany accepted stricter "Made in EU" requirements for state subsidies, with possible recognition of the UK. Environmental and transport groups criticized the deal as a "historic mistake," while Merz and Macron framed it as an investment signal for jobs. The proposal still needs approval from EU partners.
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- Summary covers the current reports
Cross-source coverage
Common ground
- We only have a single-source report with no actual text, so we cannot know what the deal really says.
- The 2035 target was already weakened in 2023 with an e-fuels carve-out, so this is not the first dilution.
- A bilateral deal between Germany and France presented to the other 25 member states is a real problem for how the EU normally works.
- Any target adjustment must come with binding plans for chargers, grid investment, and supply chains, or it is just retreat.
- The cost of a hard 2035 target without the supply chain is real and would hurt consumers and workers.
Points of contention
- Whether the pattern of softening targets proves bad faith or is just normal policy feedback.
- Whether the UK's weakened 2030 target shows that adjustment fails or that the target was never the main lever.
- Whether the burden of proof is on those defending the target or those relaxing it.
- Whether we should treat each new deal as a blank slate or reason from the record of past deals.
Blind spots
- Nobody has asked what the actual 2035 fleet math looks like given that EV share in Europe is stalling around 13-15 percent.
- Nobody has reconciled what to do if enforcing the hard target and building the infrastructure conflict with each other.
- Nobody has asked who specifically bears the cost of delay versus the cost of a hard target with no supply chain.
- Nobody has asked what the cost of a hard 2035 is if the supply chain simply does not show up in time.
WorldAttention’s read
This debate could not be won by anyone because nobody had the actual document. We have a headline, not a policy text. The honest position is to wait for the real text and especially the annex, which is where any charger or grid commitments would live. If the annex is empty, then the deal is just retreat with better branding. If it is full, then it is a real adjustment. Until then, the only clear points are that the process was flawed and that the 2035 target was already weakened in 2023. The winner of this debate is whoever reads the annex first.
Reporting timeline
Environmentalists Oppose Merz-Macron Deal to Weaken EU Combustion Engine Ban
German and French leaders Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron agreed on a joint position that would weaken the EU's planned 2035 phase-out of new combustion engine car sales, lowering the CO2 reduction target from 100 to 90 percent without requiring automakers to offset emissions. Environmental and transport experts, including Transport & Environment's Susanne Goetz and Greenpeace's Martin Kaiser, criticized the deal as a historic mistake that could seal the decline of Europe's auto industry and delay the electric vehicle transition. Green politicians and auto expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer warned the plan could push production and jobs to the US. The proposal still needs approval from other EU partners.
Read sourceEnvironmentalists Slam Merz-Macron Deal to Weaken EU Combustion Engine Ban
Environmental and transport experts criticized a joint German-French position agreed on Friday that would weaken the EU's planned 2035 phase-out of new combustion engine car sales. The proposal would lower the CO2 reduction target from 100 to 90 percent versus 2021 without requiring automakers to offset the gap, and allow further flexibility through credits and multi-year averaging. Transport & Environment's Susanne Goetz called it a 'historic mistake' that could seal the decline of Europe's auto industry, while Greenpeace's Martin Kaiser warned it suggests a future market for combustion cars that will not exist. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Emmanuel Macron framed the deal as an investment signal and good for jobs. Green MP Michael Bloss called it a brake on EV growth, and auto expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer warned production could shift to the US. The plan still needs EU-wide approval.
Read sourceGermany and France Agree to Weaken EU 2035 Combustion Engine Ban
Germany and France have agreed on joint proposals to further weaken the EU's planned 2035 ban on new combustion-engine cars. The compromise would require manufacturers to reduce average emissions by only 90 percent from 2035, without compensating the remaining 10 percent, allowing continued sales of petrol and diesel vehicles. In exchange, Germany accepts restricting state subsidies mainly to cars produced in EU member states, with possible recognition of the UK. The deal could secure a majority in the EU Council, but environmental and transport groups warn it is a 'historic mistake' that could seal the decline of Europe's auto industry. Green MEP Michael Bloss called it a 'brake block' on electric vehicle growth, while FDP MEP Jan-Christoph Oetjen praised it as a signal of support for the automotive industry.
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Germany and France Near Deal to Weaken EU 2035 Combustion Engine Ban
Germany and France have provisionally agreed on a joint position to further weaken the EU's planned 2035 ban on new combustion engine cars, according to diplomatic sources cited by AFP. The compromise would require manufacturers to reduce average emissions by only 90 percent by 2035, without compensating the remaining 10 percent, allowing continued sales of petrol and diesel vehicles if fleet limits are met. In exchange, Germany would accept restricting state subsidies mainly to cars produced in EU member states, with possible recognition of the UK. The deal could break a deadlock blocking two Brussels legislative procedures. Environmental group T&E Germany warned of a 'historic mistake,' while FDP MEP Jan-Christoph Oetjen called it a positive signal for the auto industry.
Read sourceGermany and France Agree to Weaken 2035 Combustion Engine Ban in EU Deal
Germany and France have agreed on a joint position to further weaken the EU's planned 2035 ban on combustion engine vehicles, according to diplomatic sources cited by AFP on Thursday. The agreement, pushed by Germany, would soften the phase-out more than the European Commission had proposed. In exchange, France secured stricter 'Made in EU' requirements for vehicles benefiting from EU measures to strengthen domestic industry. The two largest EU economies also agreed to include the United Kingdom in the definition of vehicles considered 'made in Europe' under those measures, according to a draft of the agreement. The deal reflects a Franco-German compromise balancing German concerns over combustion engine rules with French demands for stronger local content provisions.
Read sourceGermany and France Agree on EU Auto Deal to Ease 2035 Combustion Engine Ban
Germany and France have reached an agreement on an EU automotive deal aimed at easing the bloc's planned 2035 ban on combustion-engine vehicles, according to a report by German business daily Handelsblatt. The reported Franco-German alignment would loosen the existing EU target that effectively requires new cars sold in the EU to be zero-emission by 2035, a policy that has been a central pillar of the European Union's climate and transport strategy. The report does not specify the exact terms of the agreement, the mechanism by which the ban would be relaxed, or the timeline for any formal EU legislative action. The 2035 combustion-engine ban has faced pushback from parts of the European auto industry and some member states concerned about industrial competitiveness and job losses, while other governments and lawmakers have defended the target as essential to meeting climate goals.