New ministerial alliance

Next EU secret plan against the end of the combustion engine

In Brussels, Kocher, who is still Minister for Economic Affairs, has now called for a faster evaluation.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/dpa/Frank Rumpenhorst, AFP/Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD, krone.tv)

Just one day after the new EU Commission was elected to office in Brussels, work is already underway in Brussels. As the "Krone" learned from negotiating circles, a new secret plan was drawn up at a meeting of the economy ministers that could slow down the phase-out of combustion engines. What the plan looks like and which countries are still on board. 

With a share of around six percent of economic output and over 350,000 jobs, the automotive industry is one of the absolute key sectors for Austria. In the territory of the European Union, as many as 14 million jobs depend on the automotive industry. Due to the weakening German automotive industry and the challenge of transformation, as well as strong competition from China, the automotive industry is undergoing profound and comprehensive change, which brings opportunities and challenges for politicians.

Competitiveness Council met
Few topics were debated as heatedly during the last "Green Deal government period" as the planned phase-out of combustion engines by 2035 - as reported by the "Krone". A new plan was hatched in the Competitiveness Council (COMPET) with the responsible ministers from the member states on Thursday. The "Krone" knows the first, explosive details.