“We set the tone in Europe as well as electric there is biofuel”
The postponement of the European regulation which provides for a ban on petrol and diesel cars from 2035 is “thanks to the government which has taken a firm position“. This was stated by the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, in an interview with ‘La Stampa’, warning however that “it is essential that the sector does not fall behind”.
Italy has paved the way for the rethinking underway in Brussels and “finally – he underlines Pichetto Fratin – Germany has raised the problem, but if our country had not opened this front, becoming the European leader, perhaps we would not have arrived at a postponement”.
According to the minister, Italy must defend itself because “at least 70,000 jobs are at risk. Timescales and objectives need to be changed now. A date that blocks petrol and diesel engines is unacceptable. We want to establish the times by talking to the producers“.
When asked if the change of course is due to the League as Matteo Salvini says, Pichetto Fratin replies: “I have been carrying on this battle for some time, first as deputy minister for economic development and even more today as owner of the environment and energy security . The perseverance of the government led to an important political victory for Italy. A success that of course every majority party can legitimately claim”.
Now, for Pichetto Fratin “the question is not how many years we ask, but to accompany the change gradually. A date with a block on internal combustion engines is not acceptable, also because we are convinced that in addition to the electric one there are just as many opportunities with a whole series of fuels such as synthetics, hydrogen, especially for heavy vehicles, biomethane”.
“The question in the field – he explains – is not the risk of falling behind but rather that of protecting our production system”. As for infrastructure and charging stations, Pichetto Fratin underlines that he has signed the decree in the Pnrr area for the construction of 21,000 charging stations distributed on the Italian road network. Terna is working on the power grid: “There is no delay – he concludes – rather we are accompanying the change”.
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