The Czech Republic will convene a meeting on Monday in Strasbourg where current disputes over the new transport sector emission rules will be discussed between 11 sceptical EU transport ministers.

The meeting will be attended by ministers of the countries which expressed reservations against the Euro 7 norm and the EU’s de facto ban on the combustion engine for cars and vans. Just a few days before the planned vote, Germany, Italy and other countries gave up their support.

According to an EU official who spoke to the Czech News Agency, representatives from 11 countries have received invitations – Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, Romania and Finland.

The Czech Republic now also rejects the proposal for the de facto ban on the combustion engine from 2035, despite its previous consent and the fact the proposal’s current version of as negotiated by the Czech EU Presidency in the second half of 2022.

Now the country is calling for the explicit exemption for e-fuels, such as Germany, otherwise, it will not vote for the proposal.

Regarding the proposal of the Euro 7 emission norm, Czechia has opposed the legislation from the very beginning.

(Aneta Zachová | EURACTIV.cz)