“You can ask the question: if I try to do something on behalf of Poland, the European Commission will also fight for us, speed up or slow down deliberations for us, introduce additional negotiations, seek the support of other countries,” Anna says in an interview with the wPolityce.pl portal Moscow, Minister of Climate and Environment, referring to Germany’s action regarding the ban on the sale of combustion cars approved by the EU Council.
wPolityce.pl: The EU Council today decided on a 100% reduction in exhaust emissions from passenger cars from 2035. How did this happen when the opposition of Poland and Italy became known?
Anna Moscow: Poland and Italy voted against. Bulgaria and Romania abstained. All other countries were in favour.
Needless to say, the past few weeks have been incredible. Again, the situation when the Germans tried at the last moment to overturn the entire long-prepared document. Not because they would be by 2035 when the possibility to register combustion cars would be withdrawn, but because they decided that the e-fuels they are currently working on can be considered an equivalent solution to the use of combustion car fuel.
We have last minute EU approval for e-fuels because they are German e-fuels?
Just like that. The European Commission promised to prepare an additional document that would take into account the German demands. The Italians, seeing what was happening, tried to push biofuels. However, this is no longer accepted.
Germany objected to the already prepared document, when it seemed that all the work had already been completed, it was clear who was for and who was against. Apparently it was based on many thorough analyses, including market analyses. And suddenly the Germans came up with their solution and announced that they would support the document if it contained favorable provisions for them. And the EU agreed. It turned out that in the EU you can not only change drafted documents at the last minute. As a result, we have two separate analyses: one that the market and society are ready for e-fuels in 2035, and the other that they are not. And really, whether everyone is ready depends on whether the Germans are ready. This shows the unreliability of this document.
We have already experienced such situations in previous documents.
And they testify to the opacity of the EU’s action.
However, we do have a safety valve. In 2026, the European Commission will carry out a detailed assessment of progress towards the 100% targets. reduction of emissions and will determine the need for verification.
This will be reported on in 2025. I think that the aforementioned progress of the works – looking at the current development of this market – will not be too great. Then in 2026 there will be a revision of this document, when it will be possible to change the dates and parameters of the program. Perhaps Germany will surprise us with another solution. And then this solution can be found in the new document.
What does this valve give to Poland?
The fact that the document is being reviewed means that in theory it is possible to change absolutely everything in it.
Non-governmental organizations concerned with environmental protection consider the technology to produce zero-emission synthetic fuel to be very expensive and not environmentally friendly at all. It is called a fig leaf to cover up the problem of fossil fuel emissions.
I agree with the claims that this is absolute hypocrisy. Either the EU is preparing documents on energy transformation, documents for the climate, which is what Commissioner Timmermans has stated, or it is preparing documents based on the capabilities and technologies of individual markets.
The second option seems to win. The Germans remembered that maybe they could push their e-fuels into the European market, and maybe they came to the conclusion that they couldn’t flood the market with electromobility.
Or maybe it’s worth being glad that e-fuels are fuels after all? We could only survive with electromobility.
This is natural light, but what a joy it is when someone wants us to have the right to a car with an internal combustion engine, provided that it burns on German synthetic fuels.
I am not saying that we will not develop these fuels in Poland or in other countries. However, the whole situation shows the absurdity of decision-making processes in the EU and the fact that imperfect documents or analysis that would support a real fuel and ecological transformation turn out to be important. The nasty, market-oriented, cynical imposition of its will by Germany on other EU countries proves decisive. This is a strange but common practice to say the least.
One can ask the question: if I try to get something on behalf of Poland, the European Commission will also fight for us, speed up or slow down deliberations for us, introduce additional negotiations, seek support from other countries.
The interviewer was Radoslaw Molenda
READ ALSO:
— Minister Moscow voted against the ban on the sale of combustion engine cars. She did so on behalf of the prime minister. “Thank you”
— The EU will ban the sale of new combustion cars. The Germans withdrew their resistance. Only Poland and Italy opposed it
– The EU under the dictatorship of Germany. The Council of the EU has taken a decision. Ban on the sale of new combustion cars from 2035!
Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.