On Tuesday, EU Industry Ministers took an important decision that will affect the automotive industry and the climate emergency: They will delay the entry into force of the Euro 7 standard to reduce air pollution in cars.

for light vehicles from 2025 to 2027 and for heavy vehicles from 2027 to 2029. This means that cars complying with the Euro 7 standard can be sold until 31 December 2034, and many of them will continue on the roads until the second half of the 21st century.

The car lobby has exerted great pressure to delay the rule, as well as agencies and governments. The Basque Government Minister for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment, Arantxa Tapia, appeared on Tuesday to assess the decision and acknowledged that they have been "active" pushing in this direction, along with other European regions and other communities in the Spanish state.

"In a way, we have talked to Europe about how important the sector is in many places and that deindustrialisation could occur, which for us is unacceptable. We've been very active there," Tapia said.

For the advisor, maintaining industry and employment and reducing emissions is a "complicated balance", but "with technology and research" indicates that both can be achieved: "They're pathways to biofuels for cleaner cars."

Tapia also mentions the Basquevolt project for the production of batteries for electric cars and other projects being developed in the CAPV.