The European Parliament's Environment Committee adopted, on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, a revision of the CO2 emissions reduction targets for new cars and vans. The text was passed by 48 votes in favor, 30 against and 2 abstentions.
A compensation mechanism accompanies the lowering of the target. It is linked to the incorporation of low-carbon steel manufactured in the European Union and of biofuels.
The committee vote changes the sector's decarbonization trajectory and eases the constraints weighing on the European automotive industry.
For passenger cars, MEPs propose to bring the 2035 target down from a 100% to an 87.5% cut in emissions. This threshold goes beyond the 90% proposed by the European Commission.
The European automotive industry has maintained for several months that the target set until now is not sustainable without causing economic and social damage. The November 4 vote responds to this challenge by easing, at the committee stage, the measures weighing on the sector. The January 1, 2035 deadline was meant to mark the shift of the new-vehicle market to electric power, battery or hydrogen. The adopted text outlines a less strict trajectory than that initial target.
According to the European Parliament, manufacturers could offset up to an additional 7.5 points through credits for low-carbon steel produced in the EU. This contribution would bring the effort to 95%.