Germany Tagesschau
Moving away from the end of combustion engines: negotiators in the European Parliament find a compromise
By 2035 there should actually be an end to combustion engines in new cars in the EU. But it now looks as if the complete phase-out of combustion engines could be over. The negotiators of the political groups in the EU
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European Parliament negotiators agree on moving away from the combustion engine ban As of: October 20, 2026 • 12:16 p.m
By 2035 there should actually be an end to combustion engines in new cars in the EU. But it now looks as if the complete phase-out of combustion engines could be over. The negotiators of the political groups in the EU Parliament have already reached an agreement.
The end of the so-called combustion engine shutdown seems to be getting closer and closer. During the night in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, negotiators from the conservative European People's Party, the social democratic S&D and the liberal Renew agreed on a compromise. This emerges from a paper available to the ARD studio in Brussels. Accordingly, from 2035 onwards, new cars should emit 95 percent less CO2 than in the original year of 2021.
According to the paper, the value can drop to up to 87.5 percent if climate-friendly steel was used in the car. This would mean that the sale of new combustion engines and hybrid cars would remain permitted. The previous regulation stipulated that from 2035 no new cars that emit CO2 into the air will be registered in Europe.
The paper also envisages further easing of emissions targets during the transition periods. The agreement is not yet final. The three factions still have to agree to the compromise that the negotiators have forged.
This topic in the program: tagesschau.de | "Negotiators in the European Parliament agree to move away from the combustion engine phase-out" | Oct 20, 2026 | 11:50 a.m.BR24 Radio | News | Oct 20, 2026 | 12:04 p.m