EU says it sticks to zero-emission car path to 2035

By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Commission said on Wednesday it would stick to its 2035 target that all new cars and vans sold in the European Union would no longer emit carbon dioxide and would also abide by its intermediate target for 2030.

The European Commission yielded to pressure from European automakers on Monday by giving them three years, rather than one, to comply with emission targets and avoid heavy fines.

Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tsitsikostas on Wednesday presented the EU executive's action plan to ensure EU car producers electrify their fleets and compete with more advanced U.S. and Chinese rivals.

He said a planned review of emission regulations in 2026 would be brought forward to the third and fourth quarter of this year, but said targets themselves would not change.

"We stick to the 2035 targets, which means that we stick to the 2025, 2030 and, of course, the 2035 targets," he said.

EU auto manufacturers say the longer compliance period for the 2025 targets will still be hard to meet.

Campaign groups such as consumer association BEUC and transport research group T&E have criticised the extension, saying it will reduce pressure on producers to make more affordable cars and leaving Europe lagging further behind China.

T&E said the EU auto plan was a major concession to industry and should be its last and said lawmakers should stand firm against pressure to change car CO2 standards for 2030 and 2035.

E-Mobility Europe, which represents EV makers, suppliers and charging point companies, said it regretted the easing for 2025 and said Europe must compensate through bold implementation of the plan.

It said it welcomed legislation to be proposed this year on corporate fleets, support for battery production scale-up and prioritisation of charging grid connections and heavy vehicle charging infrastructure.

(Reporting by Bart Meijer and Philip Blenkinsop, Editing by Louise Heavens)