Top officials from the EU executive, the European Commission, unveiled the scheme, which also includes a midterm target of a 15-percent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025, carbon credits to encourage clean-vehicle production and public procurement initiatives to promote adoption of electric and low-emission autos such as plug-in hybrids.

“The car was invented in Europe and I believe it must be reinvented here, too,” European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said.

The move sets the stage for tough negotiations among the commission, EU governments and the European Parliament, where some lawmakers have called for double the emissions cuts from 2021 to 2030 than proposed by the bloc’s executive.

Motor companies, which called for a 20-percent target, is poised to fight for less ambitious targets while environmentalists will push for greater reductions.

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