Merz hails EU auto measures, industry group slams them as 'disastrous'

""More openness to technology and greater flexibility are the right steps," said Merz, who has made vocal demands for the ban to be eased as the country's flagship auto sector faces mounting problems."

""It's good that...the (European) Commission is now opening up regulation in the automotive sector," he said in a statement, adding that his government would now "examine the Commission's extensive proposals in detail"."

""Opening up the market to vehicles with combustion engines while compensating for emissions is pragmatic and in line with market conditions," said the carmaker, which has been cutting thousands of jobs amid the choppy transition to EVs, sagging demand and fierce competition in key market China."

"Premium automaker BMW said it was an "important step" that the bloc was "recognising the future viability of the combustion engine"."

The EU proposed cutting exhaust emissions from new vehicles by 90% from 2021 levels rather than the previously envisaged 100%, allowing the remainder to be compensated through various measures. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed greater technological openness and regulatory flexibility and said the government would examine the proposals in detail. Major automakers Volkswagen and BMW gave cautious support, calling the measures pragmatic and recognising the combustion engine's continued viability. The German auto sector faces weak EV demand, heavy competition from Chinese EV makers, job cuts and pressure to delay the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars. Germany's VDA industry group criticised the measures sharply.

Read at The Local Germany