Overview
- Italy’s Giorgia Meloni joined Poland’s Donald Tusk, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Czechia’s Petr Fiala, Slovakia’s Robert Fico and Bulgaria’s Rossen Jeliazkov in a letter seen by ANSA and sent to top EU institutions.
- The leaders ask the revision of Regulation 2019/631 to confirm a role beyond 2035 for plug‑in hybrids and fuel‑cell vehicles and to recognize range‑extended electric vehicles.
- They urge the EU to count renewable and low‑carbon fuels as zero‑emission, explicitly including biofuels, referencing recital 11 of Regulation 2023/851.
- The letter opposes adding mandatory zero‑emission quotas for company fleets and instead calls for tax incentives and support programs, while also suggesting a targeted adjustment to heavy‑duty vehicle rules under Regulation 2019/1242.
- The European Commission is finalizing the updated car CO2 framework for release in the coming days after an initial December 10 target that may slip, and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz has voiced similar technology‑neutral demands.