Italy to vote against EU plan to ban ICE cars

Italy intends to vote against European plans to outlaw the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 12 years, energy minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said on Tuesday.

Rules approved this month by the European Parliament will require that by 2035 carmakers must achieve a 100% cut in CO2 emissions from new cars sold, which would make it impossible to sell new fossil fuel-powered vehicles in the 27-country bloc.

"Tomorrow in Brussels, at the meeting of ambassadors of EU countries, Italy will express a position against the proposed European regulation banning the production and sale of cars and vans with internal combustion engines by 2035," the minister said.