Turek (Motorists): The EU Has Bowed to Pressure and Is Convening a Summit with Car Manufacturers

The European Commission Calls an Extraordinary Meeting with Automakers Requesting a Postponement of the Combustion Engine Ban.

MEP Filip Turek, a member of the Patriots for Europe group, has welcomed the news that the European Commission will convene an extraordinary summit with car manufacturers on September 12, following their request to delay the ban on combustion engines. Given his long-standing activities in protecting the European automotive industry, he himself has repeatedly called on the Commission in the past to fundamentally reconsider its current policies.

Since September 2024, Filip Turek has actively worked with the automotive sector through his parliamentary mandate. While he welcomes the European Union’s shift in approach, he also stresses that a mere postponement is not enough.

“Europe is trying to transform its automotive industry with its hands tied behind its back. A ban on combustion engines without a realistic alternative is an economic and technological dead end. We need a review of the entire system, not cosmetic adjustments,” says Filip Turek, adding: “The European automotive industry is on the brink of crisis. A ban on combustion engines without realistic alternatives and without proper infrastructure is economically and technologically unsustainable. We need flexibility, not ideology.”

For the past year, Filip Turek has been regularly engaging with key stakeholders in the automotive sector—from manufacturers and consulting firms to associations such as ACEA and AUTOSAP. His goal is to develop a competitive strategy for the future of mobility in the EU. ACEA is one of the two largest European associations that, in a joint letter to the EU, warned that the transition to electromobility is not realistic under current conditions.

“Europe must not lose its know-how, its factories, or its jobs. If we blindly follow unrealistic goals, we will end up as importers of technologies we ourselves invented. I will not allow that,” Turek emphasizes. “Manufacturers have already invested hundreds of billions in the green transition, yet instead of support, the EU is throwing obstacles in their way. The summit is a key opportunity, but it must lead to real policy change—otherwise Europe will lose one of the last industries where it still holds a global position,” the MEP adds.

The Patriots for Europe group, of which Filip Turek is a member, will again request in the September plenary session that a resolution on the automotive industry crisis be placed on the agenda. The goal is to put pressure on the Commission to reconsider not only the timeline of the ban but also the entire approach to decarbonizing transport.

Key Activities of MEP Filip Turek

• Plenary speeches on the automotive industry crisis, loss of competitiveness, and the need to revise emission targets (October 2024 – May 2025).

• Parliamentary questions demanding flexibility for manufacturers and a reassessment of emission regulations.

• Amendments to legislation on CO2 emissions, plastic recycling, and battery rules.

• Strategic mission to Japan (June 2025) to strengthen cooperation between the EU and Japan in automotive development.

• Letter to Commissioners Von der Leyen and Ribera calling for heavy-duty vehicle infrastructure and the elimination of fines for exceeding emission limits.

• Regular requests for a resolution on behalf of the Patriots for Europe group at every plenary session since December 2024 (consistently rejected by the EPP group).

• Roles in committees: Shadow rapporteur in the IMCO Committee on end-of-life vehicle regulation (since January 2025) and rapporteur for the opinion on the vehicle registration documents directive (since July 2025).

Zdroj: Parlamentní listy