Brussels plans to introduce new flexibilities to allow carmakers to hit their carbon emission targets for 2030 in a further step to ease pressure on the industry.
The changes come as the European Commission prepares to scrap its 2035 ban on new combustion engines after heavy lobbying from industry and countries including Germany and Italy.
The commission will ease the path for car manufacturers to meet targets in 2030, which require them to cut emissions by 55 per cent compared with 2021 levels, by allowing them to average out reductions over a three-year period instead of annually, according to two EU officials with knowledge of the plans.