They agree to negotiate a commercial agreement for electric vehicles

Washington (EFE).– The United States and the European Union (EU) they agreed to begin negotiations on a trade pact that would provide the two economies with access to key minerals used in the production of batteries electric vehicles.

He announced this in press statements President of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyenafter a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House with US President Joe Biden.

As stated by Von der Leyen, the idea of ​​the agreement is to European companies can access American subsidies collected in the so-called The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), approved in the US last year, was initially rejected by the European bloc as protectionist.

Among the minerals used in the production of batteries is nickel, manganese, cobalt and lithium. Also, use aluminum, graphite and copper.

He Three weeks ago, the European Parliament voted to ban the sale of gasoline and diesel vehicles until 2035. and, as a preliminary step, supported the goal of halving, by 2030, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for new passenger cars and vans.

More specifically, the new approved standard sets, based on the levels registered in 2021, a target to reduce the emissions of new passenger cars by 55% by 2030while a 50% reduction was established for vans.

After this period, From 2035, the law stipulates that all vehicles sold in the European Union must have zero emissions of pollutants.although, before entering into force, the text will have to be formally approved by member states.

These new targets are part of the agreement reached between the negotiators of the European Parliament and the governments of the EU countries (represented in the Council) for the reform of Community regulations. on CO2 emissions in vehiclesstarting from the initial proposal European Comission.