Italy is all smoke and no roast on CO2 car emissions review

By Jordyn Dahl | 10/04/2024 06:14 AM EDT

Rome claims to have the support of member countries for an earlier review of the policy, but EU diplomats tell a different story.

Italian Industry Minister Adolfo Urso ended his lobbying blitz last week with a press release heralding the support of member countries for Rome’s effort to tweak the bloc’s looming ban on the sale of fossil-fuel-powered cars by 2035.

While Italy’s official proposal has yet to be released, a key component of the plan is to advance a review of the EU moratorium from 2026 to the first months of next year.

According to Italy, Rome has achieved a “broad consensus” on the suggested change spanning the European Union, including Spain, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Poland.

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EU diplomats, however, say that alliance is a mirage.

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