Czech government to push for repeal of 2035 combustion engine ban

The Czech Republic will seek a complete repeal of the European Union’s planned ban on the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles after 2035, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said following Wednesday’s cabinet meeting.

He said the government considers the European Commission’s proposal to ease the emissions target insufficient. Babiš cited the growing dominance of Chinese electric vehicles on the EU market as one of the key concerns.

In December, the Commission softened its original plan to prohibit the sale of combustion-engine cars from 2035. Under the revised proposal, CO2 emissions from new cars would have to fall by 90 percent compared with 2021 levels, instead of the initially proposed 100 percent. The remaining 10 percent could be offset through a credit system based on the use of CO2-neutral fuels and green steel.