A Franco-German push to soften the EU's 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars is running into open resistance from fellow member states. According to reports on November 9, several EU governments oppose the Berlin-Paris deal, which would effectively end the 2035 combustion-engine ban as it currently stands — reopening one of the bloc's most contentious climate files less than a decade before it takes effect.
Ireland, which is leading the EU negotiations on the file, has floated a compromise that would limit the relief granted to automakers, Automotive News reports. Three main approaches are now on the table, one of which could lower the direct cut to 87.5 per cent. The final rules will determine how much room remains for new gas-powered cars after 2035.
The EU is considering revisions to its planned phaseout that would potentially allow vehicles with internal combustion engines to remain on the market beyond the original deadline. The policy has travelled a long way since Denmark proposed an EU-wide prohibition on petrol and diesel cars back in 2018 — and the current bargaining suggests the endpoint is still anything but settled.
A second front has opened over the EU's parallel plan to favour Europe-made electric vehicles. Japan has relayed strong concern to France over the proposal, under which the bloc is considering preferential treatment for EVs produced within the EU to protect strategic sectors amid a push by Chinese automakers into the European market — a debate that has already drawn warnings from industry leaders, including Mercedes-Benz chief Ola Källenius, about pricier cars.
For Central and Eastern Europe's car markets, the stakes are practical rather than abstract. Whether combustion models stay on sale beyond 2035 — and whether European-built EVs win preferential treatment — will shape showroom planning, pricing and product strategy across the region for years to come. Until the final rules land, dealers and buyers alike are planning against a moving target.
However the file ends, one practical effect is already clear: buyers who compare offers early are best placed to benefit from the shifts. Whether you are a dealer building stock or a buyer hunting the next car, combustion or electric, you can find sensational cars at sensational conditions at WorldTrader24, Europe's marketplace with over 70,000 vehicles.
