EU emissions reduction targets unrealistic, say Italian ministers

Italian officials criticised the new CO2 emissions reduction targets recently approved by the European Parliament for new vehicles, saying the targets were unrealistic.

The targets, which ban the sale of carbon-emitting diesel and gasoline vehicles by 2035 in the European Union (EU), is aimed at speeding up the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The European Commission on Tuesday also proposed ambitious new CO2 emissions targets for new heavy-duty vehicles, such as, compared to 2019 levels, reducing greenhouse emissions from heavy trucks by 90 per cent by 2040, and requiring all new city buses in Europe to be zero-emission vehicles by 2030.

While the EU initiatives garnered praise from environmental groups, they were blasted in Italy, where officials said they tried to do too much too quickly, Xinhua news agency reported.

"In these times and with these methods there is a risk," said Adolfo Urso, Italy's minister of enterprises, in an interview on Wednesday. "The time frames and procedures that Europe is imposing on us do not match ... the Italian reality," Urso said.

"I am a great supporter of electric cars, but ambitious targets have to be achieved in reality and not just on paper," said Antonio Tajani, Italian foreign minister, in an interview on Wednesday. "It is necessary to combat climate change, but this requires setting achievable targets."

Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister and the minister of infrastructure and transport, said the rules would make European industry less competitive globally.

According to the latest data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association, around 12 per cent of new cars sold in the EU in 2022 are electric.