Story perspectives

France, Germany Strike Deal to Ease EU Car Emissions Rules

By Drooid · Oct 16, 2026, 11:19 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

France and Germany reached a provisional agreement in Brussels to modify EU car-emissions rules and the ‘Made in Europe’ scheme.
The deal gives Germany a softer emissions target.
It grants France a stricter ‘Made in Europe’ definition that includes the United Kingdom.
The fleet-average CO2 reduction requirement for new cars drops to 90% by 2035, removing the need for offset credits.
The rule covers the EU’s 27 members and, under opt-in, the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland.

History

Historical Context

The EU’s first mandatory CO2 fleet-average rule, Regulation 443/2009, imposed a 130 g/km ceiling for new cars, phased in 2012-2015 and tightened to 95 g/km by 2021 after earlier voluntary pledges failed. Building on the 2019/631 overhaul that set 2025-2030 cuts, France and Germany now renegotiate the 2035 target, illustrating how EU standards evolve through inter-governmental compromise.

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Story summary

France and Germany reached a provisional agreement in Brussels to modify EU car-emissions rules and the ‘Made in Europe’ scheme.
The deal gives Germany a softer emissions target.
It grants France a stricter ‘Made in Europe’ definition that includes the United Kingdom.
The fleet-average CO2 reduction requirement for new cars drops to 90% by 2035, removing the need for offset credits.
The rule covers the EU’s 27 members and, under opt-in, the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland.

1 / 2