German carmakers, trade union jointly urge EU to drop combustion engine ban

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Germany's VDA car industry association and IG Metall metalworkers' union on Thursday urged the European Union to drop plans to ban the production of CO2-emitting vehicles from 2035, joining a chorus of sector voices warning against the move.

VDA and the union said in a joint statement that the EU and the German government "must become more flexible on CO2 regulation."

They added that the ramp-up of electric vehicle production and market growth had fallen behind initial expectations due to difficulties in the battery supply chain, slow growth of a smart charging infrastructure and other factors.

"Against this backdrop, the target for 2035 is no longer achievable without short-term corrections," the statement said.

They said the transition to electromobility was in principle the right way for the car industry in Germany to remain competitive.

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger and Ilona Wissenbach, Editing by Miranda Murray)