Italy’s industry minister has warned that the EU’s upcoming ban on petrol cars has triggered a “grave crisis” for Europe’s vehicle manufacturers.
Adolfo Urso, a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, cautioned that hundreds of thousands of jobs could be at risk unless Brussels revises its goal to phase out combustion engines by 2035.
Urso plans to meet with officials in Brussels this week. He will call for an urgent review of the emissions regulations, which he argues should be delayed and made less stringent.
“The Green Deal roadmap, as designed, has already shown its contradictions, with the collapse of the European electric vehicle market and the serious crisis facing European automakers,” he told the Financial Times.
“The data speaks for itself. It’s already evident that the roadmap… is not sustainable.”
Last year, former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delayed Britain’s plans to ban petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035.
