Latest news with #JensGieseke
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
EU ministers back plan to cut flight delay compensation
EU transport ministers on Thursday voted to raise the threshold for airline compensation, meaning passengers could soon only be entitled to payouts after flight delays of four hours, instead of the current three. A majority of the ministers voted in favour of the change in Luxembourg, according to information from diplomatic circles obtained by dpa. The European Parliament can still make changes to the new rules. The four-hour rule is set to apply to distances of up to 3,500 kilometres. For longer flights, a six-hour limit is planned. Consumer advocates have warned that the change would result in significantly fewer passengers receiving compensation. According to the European Union's current Air Passenger Rights Regulation, passengers are entitled to compensation for delays of three hours or more, provided that the airline is at fault. The amount of compensation depends on the distance: €250 ($286) for flights up to 1,500 kilometres, €400 for flights up to 3,500 kilometres and €600 for long-haul flights exceeding 3,500 kilometres. The airlines argue that they are unable to provide a replacement aircraft and crew within three hours in many European locations, and that this can lead to additional flights being cancelled because the high compensation payments have already been incurred. Members of the European Parliament, who must still approve the new regulation, have expressed resistance to a change. Jan-Christoph Oetjen, of Germany's pro-business Free Democrats, said before the vote that he sees no reason to change the parliament's existing position. He expects it to maintain the three-hour requirement. Jens Gieseke, another German member of parliament, agreed: "As a parliament, we will not accept any deterioration of the status quo."
Reuters
12-03-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
EU lawmaker group to challenge combustion engine ban this year
BRUSSELS, March 12 (Reuters) - The European Parliament's biggest lawmaker group said on Wednesday it will attempt to overturn the European Union's main climate policy for cars - a 2035 ban on sales of new CO2-emitting vehicles - during a review of the plan this year. The ban's supporters say it is crucial to Europe's green ambitions and guiding the automotive sector's low-carbon transformation. But critics say it will handicap European carmakers already struggling with weak demand, Chinese competition and disappointing electric vehicle sales. Jens Gieseke, the centre-right European People's Party's (EPP) negotiator on car policies, told Reuters the group would use a planned review of the policy in the third or fourth quarter to seek amendments. It will propose changes such as allowing sales of combustion engine cars running on synthetic fuels and biofuels as well as plug-in hybrid vehicles beyond 2035. "It was a mistake to ban the combustion engine," said Gieseke, a German EU lawmaker. "If fuels lead to a less carbon-intensive footprint, this should be recognised." The European Commission - whose president, Ursula von der Leyen, belongs to the EPP - has so far resisted pressure to weaken the 2035 policy, which it says provides investment certainty. However, the Commission last week brought forward a 2026 review of the policy to this year, and yielded to pressure from automakers by giving them three years, rather than one, to comply with 2025 emission limits. Gieseke said if other EU lawmakers agreed, the 2035 target could be brought into negotiations on the 2025 limits as early as next month. A majority of the European Parliament and a reinforced majority of EU countries must approve any changes to the car policies. Italy and the Czech Republic, plus the party of Germany's likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz, have vowed to revise the 2035 target. But a senior EU diplomat said that, for now, most countries did not support amending the goal. The EPP holds 188 of the 720 seats in the European Parliament but would need other lawmaker groups' support for any changes. Right-wing EU lawmakers favour changing the 2035 policy. But the Socialists and Greens oppose weakening emissions goals, and argue the focus should be supporting carmakers to transition to electric vehicles and catch up with Chinese competitors. Socialist EU lawmaker Mohammed Chahim warned during a European Parliament debate on Wednesday that "nostalgia" for traditional vehicles risked stifling innovation. "I feel like I'm in the boardroom of Nokia when the iPhone was just released," he said.
