The Guardian view on another green U-turn in Brussels: going slow on car-industry targets is a road to nowhere | Editorial

"Two years ago, the European Union's adoption of a 2035 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars was hailed as an act of global leadership, and a declaration of faith in the journey to net zero. That the home of BMW, Renault and Fiat should decisively reverse away from the internal combustion engine was seen as a symbolic moment."

"In reality, it looks more like a collective loss of nerve in Brussels. During her first term as European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen made the EU's climate agenda her defining mission. Modernisation and decarbonisation were seen to go hand in hand, delivering the key to future prosperity. But that was then. The climbdown on cars is the clearest signal yet that economic headwinds, geopolitical uncertainty and the rise of the net zero-sceptic far right have rattled the EU's resolve."

"Policy inconsistency and mixed messaging is no way to run a transition. As critics of the proposals such as Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, have rightly pointed out, if Europe is to remain a powerhouse of the global car industry, it needs to speed up rather than put its foot on the brake. Meddling with the 2035 deadline may offer short-term relief to manufacturers, but allowing them to continue investing in the past will do nothing to ensure they flourish in the long term."

Two years ago the EU adopted a 2035 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars as a major climate commitment; it signalled a decisive shift away from internal combustion engines. Recent Brussels proposals would water down that ban after intensive lobbying by German and Italian manufacturers, offering a reprieve that permits new CO2-emitting cars to be sold after the former cut-off. The industry commissioner framed the move as a lifeline for a struggling car industry. The rollback reflects economic headwinds, geopolitical uncertainty and political pressures that have weakened climate resolve. Short-term relief risks undermining Europe's long-term competitiveness against state-subsidised Chinese rivals.

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