France and Germany agree proposed 90% EU car-emissions target

On October 16, Reuters reported that France and Germany agreed a provisional plan to set the EU’s 2035 vehicle-emissions reduction target at 90% from 2021 levels without the additional compensatory measures previously proposed to close the gap to 100%. The plan would also treat Britain as a trusted partner under automotive “Made in EU” rules, subject to reciprocity and dynamic alignment with EU investment and trade-protection conditions. The agreement is not yet law and still requires support from other member states and the European Parliament, so manufacturers should model it as a negotiating position rather than settled product or sourcing policy. For counsel, the important linkage is that emissions targets, local-content rules, subsidies and trade defenses are being negotiated as one regulatory package, increasing the cost of siloed advice.