Italy at stake on biofuels – Corriere.it

The Energy Council has on its agenda today, 28 March, the definitive adoption, without discussion, of the EU regulation which establishes that from 2035 cars and light vans must be zero-emissions, paving the way for all-electric mobility with the exception of cars powered by synthetic fuels (What are they: driving), as requested and obtained by Germany in a statement by the EU Commission which will be recorded in the minutes. Biofuels, on which Italy has insisted, have not been taken into consideration.

The vote

On 27 March the ambassadors of the Twenty-seven – with Poland’s no and Bulgaria and Romania abstaining – approved that the green light to the regulation on green cars be put on the agenda today, not accepting the objections of Italy which claims there are substantial and formal reasons for postponing the decision. And it is probable that the same request will also be addressed today by Rome to the ministers so that the regulation is sent back to the competent Environment Council. According to the statement by the Commission which will be entered into the minutes today, viewed by Courierthe EU executive is committed to technology-neutral climate regulation, in particular with regard to regulation of CO2 emission standards for cars and light commercial vehicles and undertakes to take Recital 11 of the regulation as a starting point for the respective legislative initiatives.

Recital 11: what

Recital 11 says that the Commission will present a proposal for post-2035 registration of vehicles running exclusively on CO2-neutral fuels. But in the declaration that will go into the minutes, the exemption envisaged exclusively for RFNBOs, an acronym for renewable fuels of non-biological origin, e-fuels as requested by Germany in exchange for the vote in favor of the regulation. Berlin took advantage of the window opened by Rome for a possible blocking minority with the no of Italy and Poland and the abstention of Bulgaria. The Commission – explains the statement – is committed to presenting an implementing regulation for the approval of vehicles powered exclusively by e-fuels that is fraud-proof and will also propose a delegated act specifying how vehicles powered exclusively by synthetic fuels will contribute to the objectives to reduce emissions and, if the co-legislators reject the proposal, the Commission will follow another legislative path. Biofuels could be taken into consideration by the Commission in the future when addressing further implementation of the legislation. The invitation not to speculate. Industry Minister Adolfo Urso observes that with e-fuels the internal combustion engine remained on track