Making the vehicle emissions regime in Europe more flexible is a welcome move – if long-overdue – but the Commission needs to go much further to give the crisis-hit automotive sector in Europe hope of recovery, Carlo Fidanza MEP told the European Parliament today in Strasbourg.

Speaking for the ECR Group, Mr Fidanza called the Commission’s ideologically driven approach on emissions “a decline that we have imposed on ourselves” that had brought the industry to its knees.

The Commission’s proposal to amend the legislation allows manufacturers to average fleet CO₂ emissions over a three-year period, rather than annually, helping mitigate the impact of short-term disruptions such as supply chain issues or delayed model rollouts.

ECR shadow rapporteur on the dossier, Alexandr Vondra MEP, has tabled an amendment to extend this time limit from three to five years for the calendar years 2025-2029 in the calculation of the compliance with CO₂ emission performance standards.

Speaking in the parliamentary debate on the reform of the regulation, Mr Fidanza, head of the Italian delegation to the ECR Group, said:

“For months we have been asking in vain for an urgent resolution to the crisis affecting the automotive sector.

“After so long, we are finally discussing a revision of the legislation, which is certainly a step in the right direction.

“However, the proposal fails to respond adequately to the impact of fines. It’s incomprehensible why the Commission maintains this punitive regime for the heavy-vehicle sector when only 2.3 per cent of HGVs in Europe are zero-emissions.

“This is just a sticking plaster when it comes to addressing the deep crisis in the automotive sector. We want to see a comprehensive revision the entire regulation to save European companies and workers from a decline that we have imposed on ourselves.

“Central to Europe’s approach should be the principle of technological neutrality, which is consistently undermined by Europe’s abject surrender to the Chinese electric vehicle industry.”

Parliament today voted to accelerate its vote on this proposal, with MEPs due to vote on Thursday 8 May.