“I will propose that in March, at the plenary session in Strasbourg, we host a debate and adopt a resolution on the revision of the ban on the sale of petrol cars from 2035,” announced Dariusz Joński, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the Civic Platform party. He believes that this is an overly ambitious and unrealistic plan, which could lead to the downfall of the automotive sector, a sector that still plays a significant role in driving the European economy. The industry in the EU has been losing competitiveness for years, mainly to China and the USA, therefore the MEP believes a proposal to revise the ban could receive wide support in the European Parliament (EP).
“In the Transport Commission, we are discussing the idea to revise the ban on the sale of combustion cars in 2035. We believe this is far too ambitious and unrealistic. Not only because people are not buying as many electric vehicles as were projected, but also because the infrastructure is not ready, the prices are high, and these cars are not as perfect as customers expected, who are still buying petrol cars,” emphasizes Dariusz Joński, a Member of the European Parliament from the Civic Platform party.
Rho Motion, a research company specializing in electric vehicles, reports that in 2024, the worldwide sales of electric cars reached 17.1 million units. While the global market grew by a quarter over the year, the differences between regions deepened. The European market shrank by 3% with about 3 million electric cars sold within the year. For comparison, the Chinese market grew by 40%. According to the Polish Automotive Industry Association (PZPM), the number of registered electric cars in Poland was 3% lower than in 2023.
“We can’t ban the sale of gasoline cars, because we’ll shut down factories and jobs, which is nearly 13 million people across Europe. On top of all this, there’s the expansion of Chinese cars at absurdly low prices, backed by Chinese capital, to eradicate European automobile manufacturing. The goal of Poland, where almost 200,000 people are employed in this industry, producing 800,000 cars, which is almost 7% of GDP, is, among others, to protect European car manufacturing,” argues Dariusz Joński.
The automotive sector, just a few years ago, a symbol of European industrial power, is deepening in crisis. The European Association of Automotive Parts Manufacturers reports that since 2020, 86,000 jobs in the automotive industry have been eliminated in EU countries. Another 32,000 layoffs are announced for the first half of 2024.
A survey by the European Association of Automotive Parts Manufacturers (CLEPA) and McKinsey revealed that 68% of suppliers expected low profits for 2024, and around 38% anticipated that they would be on the verge of profitability. They see the main reasons for concern as the reduction in demand and the decline in EU competitiveness against other manufacturers. High production costs and EU climate policy influence this.
“I will propose that not only is there a debate at the plenary session in Strasbourg in March, but also a resolution is adopted on this matter. We want to state in it that no manufacturers of gasoline cars should be punished this year. We believe this is absolutely unacceptable, as these are additional costs transferred to the customer. We become even less competitive against China and the United States, so it’s a moment when a decision has to be made,” the MEP points out.
The threat of fines is related to this year’s new CO2 emission limits – if a manufacturer does not meet the new limit, they will be forced to pay a fine for each exceeded gram of carbon dioxide and each sold car.
“In my conviction, today is a good time and place, and there’s large support for this review of 2035. I’m not only talking in our group but also with other groups in the EP, and it seems to me that there will be strong support if the resolution is put to a vote. In my opinion, the vast majority of MEPs will be in favor of revising the ban on the sale of combustion cars, because it affects almost every country in the European Union,” emphasizes Dariusz Joński.
Ursula von der Leyen and the European People’s Party announced a review of the current regulations in 2026. But, as the MEP points out, quicker action is needed, as without revising the Fit for 55 package, Europe will lose its position as the leader in car production to China and the US. In the first half of 2024, Chinese brands accounted for 10% of new electric vehicle sales in the EU, while in 2019 their share was close to zero. Chinese expansion may accelerate further as a result of the trade war announced by the United States. Limiting access to the American market will naturally make Europe the destination of choice for Chinese electric cars. According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), this year, the export of vehicles from China is set to rise by 5.8%, to 6.2 million units.
“If it were up to me, I would be in favor of abolishing the ban on the sale of petrol cars, but since we are part of a large European family, we need to convince each other, and we’ll see what comes out of this review. It needs to come from numbers and research, and it has to be a far-sighted policy, which primarily protects jobs and the sector, which drives Europe,” assesses the Member of the European Parliament from the Civic Platform party.
As he emphasizes, to strengthen the competitiveness of European industry, we also need, among others: simplification of regulations, reduction of bureaucracy, investment in innovation and strategic resources, guaranteeing technological neutrality in energy transformation. In his opinion, an increasingly clear view comes to a new European economic concept under the banner of “Europe of Reason,” unlike the previous dreamer Europe, whose ambitious but poorly planned projects could lead to the deindustrialization of the continent.
