The debate over the EU Council’s latest rules on combustion cars drew strong comments from Polish officials, highlighting fears that the new standards could limit the ability to register vehicles with internal combustion engines after 2035. The Council approved a regulation that targets a 100 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions for new cars and vans after 2035, with interim targets reducing CO2 by 55 percent for passenger cars and 50 percent for light commercial vehicles between 2030 and 2034, compared with 2021 levels. Poland was the sole country to oppose the measures, while Bulgaria, Romania, and Italy chose to abstain. The discussion continues to unfold as policymakers weigh transitional challenges and economic impacts.
During a television interview, Marshal Elżbieta Witek suggested that there is still time before 2035 for further considerations and potential changes to the proposal. She emphasized that historical developments have sometimes surprised observers, underscoring the possibility that the regulation could be altered before it takes effect. Her remarks also recalled moments when Poland stood in the minority on previous policy questions, only to be vindicated later as global perspectives shifted.
Witek urged caution about hasty conclusions, recalling past debates about immigration and security that later appeared prescient to many observers. Her message framed the current regulation as a significant policy shift with long lead times, arguing that a thorough evaluation is warranted before moving ahead.
Key provisions of the regulation include a 55 percent reduction in CO2 emissions for new passenger cars and a 50 percent reduction for new vans by the 2030–2034 period, relative to 2021. From 2035 onward, the plan envisions a complete elimination of carbon emissions from new cars and vans sold in the EU, which effectively would restrict the registration of new internal combustion engine vehicles. The measure has faced questions in recent weeks, notably after Germany requested an exception for e-fuels, signaling that negotiations and compromises remain possible.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that his government instructed the Climate Minister to vote against the regulation, asserting that the policy should be reevaluated. Following this stance, a minister was reported to have opposed the ban on selling new combustion cars after 2035, according to official communications circulating on social media networks.
Experts and government officials have voiced concerns that the transition to cleaner energy could disproportionately affect lower-income groups. Government spokesperson Piotr Müller argued that the pace of change is too rapid and might transfer costs onto less affluent citizens, while wealthier observers could more easily absorb the shift. He stressed that energy transformation should be balanced with realistic economic conditions.
Müller also argued that some strategic economic interests are at play, with ecological rhetoric sometimes serving as a veil for broader political calculations. The discussion remains framed by national interests and perceptions of how the EU builds technological leadership while pursuing environmental goals.
Readers may also encounter additional coverage and interviews delving into the implications of the EU’s decision and the ongoing deliberations about how best to implement changes in member states.