The ECR Group acknowledges the European Commission’s Automotive Package as an important signal towards ensuring Europe’s transition to clean mobility – one that reflects the current realities. However, the proposal falls short of providing the bold actions necessary to ensure Europe’s automotive industry thrives in the face of global competition.

Alexandr Vondra, ECR Coordinator for the Committee on the Environment, said:

“I appreciate the Commission for finally acknowledging technological neutrality. The decision to exclude any means of reducing emissions other than electromobility options was flawed, harmful, and deliberately limited European consumers’ choices from the very beginning. This Soviet-style economic planning did not work fifty years ago, and it does not work today. So-called ‘green production’, such as the obligation to use green steel in car manufacturing, is merely a cheap attempt by the Commission to shift the problem from one place to another.”

From 2035 onwards, carmakers will need to reduce tailpipe emissions by 90%, with the remaining 10% to be compensated through low-carbon steel or sustainable fuels. Furthermore, the package introduces “super credits” for small affordable electric cars made in the EU, incentivizing the market introduction of more budget-friendly EV models. The Commission has also allocated €1.8 billion for the development of a fully EU-made battery value chain, supporting European battery cell producers through interest-free loans and fostering innovation across Member States.

Ondřej Krutílek, ECR Deputy Coordinator for the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy said:

“Going from 100% to 90% is simply not enough and I am skeptical that the flexibilities proposed by the Commission would actually help. The transition to zero-emission transport, which people cannot afford and companies cannot meet, is a transition that benefits no one, and need to be fixed by the co-legislators. If we want to succeed, the European Parliament must establish a joint ENVI-ITRE committee to combine environmental approach with industrial policy and innovation. This is the only way to ensure a transition that is both feasible and beneficial for the entire sector.”

The ECR warns that, while the Automotive Package provides a framework for reducing emissions, Europe’s automotive industry cannot afford to rely solely on these proposals. To remain globally competitive, manufacturers need the certainty of operational freedom, technological neutrality, and the ability to function seamlessly within a market economy. The ECR is fully committed to advocating for a policy that does not restrict their potential with ideological goals.

For the Italian delegation, ECR MEP Carlo Fidanza said:

“Some of the Commission’s signals may look positive at first glance: a degree of flexibility, the exclusion of heavy vehicles and SMEs, and a shift from corporate to national targets. But the real test will be whether this actually marks the end of electric dogmatism. Technological neutrality must be genuine and complete — without rigid mechanisms, artificial credit systems or arbitrary limits on solutions such as biofuels. Anything less would be a cosmetic exercise rather than a real industrial policy. This proposal is only a starting point, and it will need substantial improvement in the months ahead.”

On behalf of the Polish delegation, ECR MEP Jacek Ozdoba said:

“Instead of introducing real simplifications in industrial and climate policy, the European Commission is proposing new ideological regulations and targets for greening the car fleet that are unnecessary and burdensome. The Commission should strive to effectively solve the problems of the automotive industry and European citizens and completely abolish the ban on the sale of combustion engine cars in 2035.”