EU Commission stays the course: “Review of the rules on conventional engines in 2026”

Brussels – No change of plans, not for the time being: the timetable outlined in the Regulation that decrees a stop to traditional engines in 2035 will be followed, with an impact study in 2025 and a legislative review in 2026. Roxana Minzatu, the European Commission’s executive vice president in charge of skills and quality work, closes the door on member states’ requests to revisit the choices made in the last legislative term ahead of schedule.

Italy was the leader of the countries asking to bring forward to 2025 the revision of the Regulation that mandates a stop to the production of cars and light commercial vehicles with traditional diesel and petrol engines from 2035. The government’s goal is to try to include bio-fuels among the list of clean alternatives along with electric motor and synthetic fuels. Advancing the review means speeding up the reasoning and a change that, however, the Commission does not consider necessary at the moment.

Answering a parliamentary question, Minzatu first argues that the EU regulation decreeing a stop to conventionally powered vehicles from 2035 “creates certainty for manufacturers, suppliers, and investors, with sufficient lead time to plan for a fair transition.” Essentially, the issues raised by the EU Council and Parliament are not present. “The Regulation requires the Commission to prepare a progress report by 2025. Building on that report, the Commission will review the Regulation in 2026,” she added.