Despite the pulverization of their party in this month’s three Eastern state elections, German Greens seem intent on fighting for the Green Deal agenda until the last Green voter. The Green-controlled Economy Ministry opposed the request to review stringent 2025 emission targets for conventional cars which had been formally advanced by Italy at the “Competitiveness” Council in Brussels yesterday, despite an urgent call for such a review issued by the European Association of Carmakers (ACEA) and with the backing of German Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP).
German undersecretary of state Sven Giegold (Greens) told the press: “We had friendly discussions with Italian Minister Adolfo Urso, but we do not have the same spirit.” Giegold said that “a review is planned [in 2026 and 2027], and of course we are asking, as the chairwoman of the Commission announced, for this review, but there is a need for data collection.”
“We have seen the Italian press report some comments from Italy, but also from Germany,” Giegold continued, clarifying that “Germany does not want to weaken the climate standards, which are part of the regulation. For us, climate goals are key, and we already see in the automotive market the great danger that European auto manufacturers will be overtaken by electric vehicles from other countries. So clearly it is not our goal to question the phasing out of the combustion engine to 2035.”
