- E-fuels: Is von der Leyen putting pressure on Timmermans?
- Transition period ends: EU no longer allowed to purchase coal from Russia
- Slovakia reports compromise on transit of Russian oil via Ukraine
- UN: Ukrainian grain exports expected to increase
- Greece will regain fiscal self-determination
- EU stands firm in financial dispute with Poland
- Committee head calls for tougher EU stance against China
- Russian gas cuts will not kill the German economy
As of today, EU countries are no longer allowed to import coal from Russia. The coal embargo, part of the EU’s fifth sanctions package against Russia, is taking effect and is supposed to further weaken the Russian economy financially. Read how many billions are at stake in the News.
The threat of Russia cutting or suspending gas supplies to Europe remains real. In today’s Opinion, Daniel Gros of the Centre for European Policy Studies explains why the German economy could weather cuts better than many other European countries. Germany imports a lot of natural gas but is relatively frugal.
The EU Parliament has long since decided to phase out internal combustion engines by 2035, and the environment ministers have also agreed to the EU Commission’s proposal but with a caveat: synthetic or e-fuels. This would allow cars with internal combustion engines to be registered beyond 2035 if the e-fuels are produced in a climate-neutral way. The environment ministers are not alone with their wish for this loophole to be included; at the German federal level, Chancellor Olaf Scholz also supports it – after consulting Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Markus Grabitz dives into the details.
I wish you an interesting read.
Lisa-Martina Klein
Feature
E-fuels: Is von der Leyen putting pressure on Timmermans?
Is there an agreement between EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the use of synthetic fuels in cars? At least, that is what is being reported in Berlin. According to the report, Scholz has lobbied his former cabinet colleague and current Commission head for the Commission to make a regulatory proposal for so-called e-fuels in private transport in the near future.
The background to this is the agreement reached by the environment ministers of the 27 EU countries on the EU Commission’s proposal to stop allowing new vehicles with internal combustion engines from 2035. The Environment Council had made the general direction on June 28 and gave the green light to the end for the internal combustion engine on the part of the chamber of countries.
EU Parliament adopted ban on internal combustion vehicles
The EU Parliament had previously passed the same resolution by a large majority. However, under pressure from Italy and several Eastern European countries, the environment ministers also opened a window for synthetic fuels. The following wording was included: “The Commission will make a proposal on how vehicles that run on CO2-free fuels can also be registered after 2035.” The wording still contains the addition that this will be done “outside the systematics of CO2 fleet legislation”.
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