EU Approves Effective Ban On New Fossil-Fuel Cars From 2035

The Member states and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement ensuring all new cars and vans registered in Europe will be zero-emission by 2035.

As an intermediary step towards zero emissions, the new CO2 standards will also require average emissions of new cars to come down by 55% by 2030, and new vans by 50% by 2030. This agreement marks the first step in the adoption of the ‘Fit for 55' legislative proposals tabled by the Commission in July 2021 and demonstrates ahead of COP27 the EU's domestic implementation of its international climate commitments.

The revision of the CO2 emission standards for cars and vans is one of the ‘Fit for 55' proposals presented by the Commission in July 2021 to make the EU's climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

Achieving these emission reductions in the next decade is crucial to Europe becoming the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and making the European Green Deal a reality.  Therefore, this new legislation will make the EU's transport system more sustainable, provide cleaner air for Europeans and marks an important step in delivering the European Green Deal.