The Alliance of European Car Dealers and Repairers (AECDR), to which the Spanish employers’ association Faconauto belongs, has sent a letter to Ursula Von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, requesting an “urgent review” of carbon dioxide emissions regulations to “adjust them to the reality of the current market.”
In a letter sent last Monday to the head of the European Commission, a call is made to implement the necessary legislative adjustments to “align electrification measures and timelines” with the current trend in Europe.
In this context, the Aecdr proposes bringing forward the review of pollutant emissions target regulations to 2025—currently scheduled for between 2026 and 2027—with the aim of analysing the “necessary conditions” to establish a timetable “in line with the current situation and future prospects.”
In this way, the dealers say, the viability of the European business landscape would be ensured and a “orderly transition” to electric vehicles (EVs) achieved; towards a mobility where “no one is left behind,” they assert.
Meanwhile, Faconauto has sent letters to Spanish MEPs, the government of Pedro Sánchez, and other political parties to organise a “coordinated response” that defends the interests of dealers and ensures a “more competitive and prepared” market.
However, this call appears to have little impact in Brussels, where the European Commission maintains its objective of banning the sale of combustion vehicles in the EU from 2035, despite strong opposition from the automotive sector.
This will be at least the position defended by the incoming European Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Hoekstra, during hearings in the European Parliament scheduled throughout November.
In internal documents, the Dutch politician asserts that “there can be no going back” on the plans to ban the sale of petrol and diesel combustion vehicles, reaffirming the legislative position from 2021.
As of today, Brussels’ goal is to reduce pollutant emissions by up to 55% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by mid-century.
