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Italy to present proposition for early evaluation of EU combustion engine restriction

Italy will file an official proposal today to advance to next year a planned European Union evaluation of the bloc's restriction on the sale of new internal combustion engine automobiles from 2035, Market Minister Adolfo Urso stated on Monday.

Italy's proposition will be talked about by its nationwide delegation of EU legislators on Wednesday, before being officially presented the following day at a meeting of EU market ministers, Urso said.

Italy is among a group of EU countries pressing back versus the bloc's so-called Green Deal, led by the European Commission, to tackle climate modification and curb pollution, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni frequently dismissing its propositions as ideological.

We believe it's definitely required to modify the direction of EU commercial policy, Urso informed an event of business associations and trade unions.

The automobile sector is the one where a change from the Green Offer is most required, he included.

In March 2023, EU countries authorized a landmark law that will need all new automobiles to have no CO2 emissions from 2035, successfully prohibiting diesel and fuel cars and leaving the market almost exclusively to electric ones.

The EU Commission, nevertheless, set up a review of the legislation for 2026 to examine technological advances of hybrid vehicles and whether they can abide by the 2035 goal. The EU law also consists of an exemption for cars working on e-fuels.

Last week Meloni called the prepared phase-out of internal combustion cars and trucks a self-destructive decision, saying it was causing excessive damage to Europe's automobile market.

The EU steps were indicated to speed up the electrification of the sector, but a number of automakers have recently started to scale down their electric vehicle roll-out strategies due to poor demand.

European vehicle lobby ACEA last week called for relief from the EU on intermediate CO2 targets for vehicles and vans coming into result in 2025.

However Stellantis, Europe's second-largest automaker and owner of Italy's Fiat, opposes any relocate to delay EU emission targets set for next year, its CEO Carlos Tavares has said. Stellantis is not a member of ACEA.

(source: Reuters)