Germany, a “government without a word” and with Porsche at the wheel

The decisions taken by the European Union, its rules and regulations, pass a long process which usually involves a proposal from the European Commission (often politically dictated by governments) and negotiation with a representation of the European Parliament and with the 27 governments of the bloc.

In the end, MEPs and branch ministers vote. Such negotiations can be quick or they can drag on for years. But when one morning everyone agrees and they shake hands, the pact walking out of the room It’s sacred even if it is verbal and there is no signature.

We journalists consider it as such despite the lack of legal formalisms such as the signature of the ambassadors before the European Union and the publication of the standard in the Official Journal of the European Union.

These formalities don’t make the news because it never occurred to anyone that after closing the negotiation and accepting the agreement someone would go back. Until this month of February.

A serious precedent

After two years of negotiations the European Commission, the European Parliament and the 27 governments agreed that 31 December 2034 would be the last day it could be sold in the 27 countries of the European Union a car with a classic combustion engine.

The energy transition is progressing fast and the vast majority of automakers have been investing for years in the development of electric cars. Some, like Germany’s Mercedez-Benz, assured years ago that it won’t wait until 2034, that December 31, 2029 will be the last day it sells combustion engine cars.

When everything was agreed, the German ambassador to the European Union informed his Swedish counterpart (Sweden holds the interim presidency until 30 June) that he had received an order not to sign. no one understood anything. How did the German government refuse to sign if weeks before its minister had given the go-ahead to measure? The explanation must be sought in Berlin.

The German government is a three-party coalitionwhose tensions are having consequences in Brussels: the social democrat, the environmentalist and the liberal, in order because their representation in the coalition depends on the electoral results.

The head of government is the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz (according to the provision), the great Ministry of Energy and Climate of the environmentalist Robert Habeck (also consistent) but in Finance commands the liberal Christian Lindner, who also controls the Ministry of Transport through an ally. And for Lindner the fight against the climate crisis is the gazillion priority.

The Germans withdraw at the last moment very annoyed in Brussels. Senior officials shook their heads and talked about how Berlin is generating a precedent which in the future other governments will use to torpedo any measure or at least to delay it.

A minister from a southern European country goes so far as to say in private that German is right now “a government without a word” because what is negotiated with some German ministers has no value for others.

Porsche

At the European Commission, where they are trying to negotiate, what Germany is asking is that cars with sinusoidal combustion engines can be sold but that they use synthetic fuels not extracted from petroleum, which also generate polluting emissions when burned in fuels also which German liberals claim they are defending the German automotive sector when in reality they are only defending a small luxury car sectorrepresented by the Porsche gear.

German automotive giants such as Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz or BMW have been investing in electric cars for years and are involved in this energy transition. Lindner loves the Porsche 911.

It is also annoying in Brussels that an issue that had been closed and approved is reopened and that it is no longer just Germany.

Austria and Italy, which like all had voted in favour, now defend the new position of the German liberals. Italy has luxury brands to defend (Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini) but Austria has none and its change seems to be explained more by Austrian conservatives They tend to drag their feet to end up approving them, when there will be European measures against the climate crisis.

Brussels, especially for clarion

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