Italy continues to push to revise the European Union’s plan to switch to electric cars from 2035, as the region’s auto industry struggles with the transition. Together with the Czech Republic, our country has produced a document in which it asks Brussels to recognize a “wider range” of solutions beyond battery electric vehicles and hydrogen cars.
According to a draft of the document seen by Bloomberg, the two countries then insist that the review planned by the European Commission be brought forward to next year from 2026, as currently required by law. “The situation is now critical, with significant challenges related to production, employment and global competition, requiring coordinated and urgent action at EU level,” reads the draft, which is still subject to change.
The fears of Rome and Prague
According to the two countries, the European automotive industry is struggling to reach its climate goals due to Chinese competition and declining consumer demand. Donald Trump’s victory in the US election has also increased fears of new tariffs, especially for German manufacturers, which export more vehicles to the United States than to any other country.
The European Commission has already committed to introducing an exemption for cars powered by e-fuels, produced with captured CO₂ and renewable electricity, theoretically with zero emissions, but according to Italy it would not be sufficient. According to Rome, it is necessary to include other types of energy sources in the exemptions, to avoid producers part of the very high fines foreseen by the legislation.
Furthermore, it emerges from the document that according to Italy and the Czech Republic it would be necessary to create a support package for the automotive sector for the short term, necessary to economically help the production companies with the transition towards electric.
Czechs also against it
The position taken by the Czech Republic had already been made known last week by Minister of Transport, Martin Kupka, explaining that manufacturers will encounter many difficulties in reaching the new objectives, due to the decline in demand for electric vehicles in Europe.
Kupka also added that the Czech Republic and Italy had already agreed to present their common position during the meetings that EU leaders are holding in Budapest in recent days.
The automotive industry is crucial for the Central European country. Brands such as Škoda (Volkswagen), Toyota and Hyundai operate in the area, giving the sector a weight of around 9% of the national GDP. In 2023, production reached 1.4 million vehicles, compared to Italian production which, last year, just exceeded 700 thousand units of cars and commercial vehicles.
