Czechia and Italy to call on EU to suspend EV quotas

At this week's informal EU summit, Czechia and Italy will jointly call for the EU to avoid sanctioning carmakers that fail to meet electric vehicle sales targets in 2024, Transport Minister Martin Kupka said in a debate programme in Prima TV on Sunday.

Mr. Kupka cited falling demand for electric vehicles across the EU as a key reason for suspending the fines. He argued that if carmakers are fined for missing targets, they will have less funding to invest in EV development and said Germany was reportedly aligned with such request.

Additionally, Czechia seeks to delay the 2035 ban on new combustion engine cars, hoping to initiate discussions on the issue next year, ahead of the EU's planned 2026 review.