Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned that the European Union’s environmental policies could weaken the continent’s industrial base, particularly in the automotive sector, due to reliance on external supply chains.
During a press conference in Rome following a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Meloni questioned the current direction of the ecological transition, stressing that focusing solely on electrification without supply chain control is counterproductive.
She emphasized the need to diversify the EU’s strategy by integrating technologies such as biofuels and hydrogen.
Meloni argued that the regulatory framework applied so far has been overly rigid, negatively affecting key industries. She also pointed to the growing dependence on non-European actors for critical electric vehicle components as a strategic vulnerability.
She urged the European Commission to revise key aspects of the Green Deal, including emissions calculation methods, advocating for a life-cycle approach rather than focusing solely on tailpipe emissions.
Additionally, she stated that Italy and Germany — the EU’s main manufacturing economies — should jointly lead efforts to restore competitiveness, with particular emphasis on the automotive sector.
Earlier this month, the European Parliament approved a temporary relaxation of CO2 targets for cars and vans, allowing automakers to calculate average emissions over the 2025–2027 period to avoid potential penalties.
