Open letter to EU Commission President: VDIK calls for immediate suspension of CO2 fines

On the occasion of the opening of the EU Strategy Dialogue, the President of the Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (VDIK), Imelda Labbé, calls on Commission President Ursula von der Leyen not to place an additional burden on the transformation through possible CO2 fines and to quickly set the course for the future of the automotive industry.

“We now need the immediate suspension of CO2 fines and the right strategic course for a successful transformation of the automotive industry. As long as the framework conditions are not sufficient to build up sufficient customer confidence in electromobility, the threat of fines will lead to destructive competition. This threatening development must be stopped as quickly as possible. The VDIK therefore welcomes the initiative of the EU Commission President to launch a strategic dialog on the future of the European automotive industry and to draw up a joint plan across all interest groups to secure the future of the automotive industry, in particular to ramp up electromobility and thus achieve greater climate protection. It is high time,” says VDIK President Imelda Labbé.

The letter contains a six-point plan for the future of individual mobility and focuses on the topics of affordable and climate-neutral mobility, open and fair competition, digitalization and networking as well as sustainability and location attractiveness.

The VDIK remains firmly committed to the goal of EU climate neutrality by 2050. In order to achieve this goal, politicians must create the appropriate framework conditions for technological openness and the ramp-up of electromobility. The framework conditions include a long-term and reliable transformation plan, the expansion of the charging infrastructure, predictable incentives for all customer groups with a stable residual value, a competitive charging price and benefits for e-car drivers in traffic. A positive public attitude towards electromobility on the part of all opinion leaders, especially politicians, is of central importance for building customer confidence.

The international vehicle manufacturers account for almost half of the German automotive market and represent both European and non-European manufacturers in the largest EU automotive market. They make a decisive contribution to affordable individual mobility by offering the most affordable entry-level models in the vast majority of segments, both in the combustion engine and electric sectors.