BRUSSELS

EU energy ministers on Tuesday approved a law banning combustion engines for new cars from 2035.

“The Council (of the EU) today adopted a regulation setting stricter CO2 emission performance standards for new cars and vans,” said a statement by the Council of the EU.

The decision aims at reducing “emissions from road transport” and pushing “the automotive industry to shift towards zero-emission mobility while ensuring continued innovation,” the statement said.

According to the new rules, new cars must emit 55% less CO2 and vans 50% from 2030 to 2034 compared to 2021 levels.

As of 2035, only those new cars and vans can be sold in the EU that have zero CO2 emission, meaning a complete ban on marketing new combusting-engine vehicles.

The regulation also contains incentives for car producers to start producing zero or low-emission cars from 2025.

The adoption of the law was delayed by weeks because of Germany’s last-minute opposition, supported by the Italian, Polish, and Bulgarian governments.

Following a deal reached over the weekend between Berlin and the European Commission, the new regulation contains an exemption for engines running on synthetic e-fuels that are considered carbon neutral.

E-fuels are produced by synthesizing captured CO2 emissions and hydrogen.