In response to a parliamentary question from MP Joëlle Welfring of The Greens, Prime Minister Luc Frieden said Luxembourg “shares the analysis” that postponing the EU’s zero-emission target could compromise the “competitiveness of the European automotive industry”.
The government views the 2035 goal as a cornerstone of the European Green Deal and essential for meeting climate neutrality by 2050. While “open to targeted adjustments” to help the automotive sector adapt and strengthen European value chains, Luxembourg maintains that ambitious climate goals are crucial both for emissions reduction and for maintaining economic competitiveness.
The discussion follows recent remarks by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who called on the European Commission to reconsider the 2035 deadline and to allow for limited use of combustion-based “range extender” engines in electric cars. The proposal has divided opinion within Germany and raised concerns across Europe.
In her question, Welfring noted that 180 companies in the e-mobility value chain had warned such a move could “slow the electrification of transport” and weaken industrial competitiveness, including in Luxembourg’s automotive sector, which employs about 8,500 people.
Frieden acknowledged that a delay could have negative long-term effects on employment in the automotive sector and warned that predictability is vital for companies’ investment decisions. He also cautioned that pushing back the target could “call into question” Luxembourg’s Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNEC), which relies on the 2035 objective to guide its own emissions policies.
The prime minister said he would defend this position in upcoming European Council discussions, should the issue be formally placed on the agenda.
