CO2 emissions: EP fast-tracks vote on flexibility measures for carmakers

On Tuesday, MEPs agreed to use the urgent procedure for a targeted change to CO2 emission performance standards for new cars and vans.

The current rules set annual targets, covering five-year periods, for reducing average CO2 emissions from new cars and vans across the EU fleet. From 2025, an annual CO2 emission reduction target of 15% compared to 2021 values will be in application for the 2025-2029 period.

The proposed change would offer manufacturers the possibility to comply with their obligations for the years 2025, 2026 and 2027 by averaging their performance over the three-year period, rather than each individual year. This approach would allow them to balance any excess annual emissions by outperforming the target in subsequent year(s).

Before MEPs voted, representatives of the political groups held a round of short interventions on the issue.

Next steps

Following the agreement to use the urgent procedure, Parliament is now expected to vote on the proposal on Thursday, 8 May.

Background

The proposal is part of the Commission's industrial action plan for the European automotive sector, announced on 5 March 2025. It followed the strategic dialogue on the future of the automotive industry launched by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 30 January 2025, which involved an open public consultation and discussions with both sides of industry and stakeholders to address the most pressing challenges facing the sector.