Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing has dampened hopes of an early agreement in the dispute over the EU Commission’s plan to phase out combustion engines. “Technology bans have never brought the country any further,” said the FDP politician to the “Augsburger Allgemeine” (Thursday). Regarding demands for a quick agreement with the EU Commission, he said: “We are talking about regulation for the year 2035. I don’t understand why we shouldn’t be able to take the time to look at things more closely now.”
An EU summit begins in Brussels on Thursday. Wissing wants the EU Commission to show a reliable way for new passenger cars with combustion engines to be registered after 2035, provided they are only operated with so-called e-fuels. Negotiators from the European Parliament and the EU states agreed in autumn that only emission-free new cars may be registered in the EU from 2035. A confirmation of the deal by the EU states, which was scheduled for early March, was canceled due to additional demands from Germany.
The scope and content of the agreements must be checked
In ZDF’s “heute-journal”, Wissing emphasized that he did not want to delay anything: “I want to check carefully – and that is also in the interest of the Federal Republic of Germany.” concentrating on just one mobility offer”. He was ready to clarify these questions quickly, said the Minister of Transport. “But I am not willing to sign agreements whose scope and content I have not finally checked for the Federal Republic of Germany.”
The Greens parliamentary group leader Britta Haßelmann asked the federal government on Wednesday to end the course of the “blockade” in the dispute. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Transport had emphasized that the talks were well advanced. The goal remains to reach an agreement as quickly as possible. However, the procedures are “extremely complicated” and require “a careful examination by both sides.” Wissing receives support from the Union: “The FDP should now remain steadfast,” said the deputy Union faction leader Jens Spahn of the “Augsburger Allgemeine”.
