Calls for auto industry support to be tied to climate action

Calls have been made for decarbonisation to be considered a key condition of financial support for the auto industry in response to COVID-19.

In a letter to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the Platform for Electromobility sets out the need to put a high priority on climate action in the auto industry when considering financial support to assist companies following COVID-19.

The Platform insists that the recovery measures should balance economic relief of workers and long-term decarbonisation of the transport sector, which is key to achieve Europe's overarching Green Deal objectives, namely carbon neutrality by 2050. The current crisis should thus not hinder nor delay the transition towards clean mobility but rather incentivise national governments to boost the demand for decarbonised transport, through an EU-wide and coherent approach.

The Platform for Electromobility states that taking a step back now in the decarbonisation effort may require a long process of normative reviewing that will eventually mine the pursuit of the targets set for 2030 and 2050. Electromobility with zero tailpipe emissions contributes to meeting major environmental health challenge in the EU by improving air quality in urban areas.

To read the letter in full, please see here.