"The EU on Tuesday walked back a 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars seen as a milestone in the fight against climate change, as the bloc pivots to bolstering its crisis-hit auto sector."

"Carmakers and their backers lobbied hard for Brussels to relax the ban over the past year – in the face of fierce competition from China and a slower-than-expected shift to electric vehicles (EVs).

The EU's industry chief, Stéphane Séjourné, insisted the bloc's green ambitions stood intact as he put forward a plan billed as a "lifeline" for Europe's auto industry.

"The European Commission has chosen an approach that is both pragmatic and consistent with its climate objectives," he said.

The combustion-engine ban was hailed as a major win in climate fight when adopted in 2023."

FRANCE 24 had the story with AFP December 16, 2025. [2]