But in a newer version, dated February 14, the line had been crossed out. The document is subject to change until the party agrees on a final version at its congress in Bucharest on March 6-7.
The EPP would not comment on the document’s authenticity.
The text seen by POLITICO matches comments by von der Leyen on Wednesday. During her first term, the combustion engine ban was a key part of the package of reforms the Commission introduced to enable the EU to zero out its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The law had already been agreed to, she said: “By 2035 there has to be zero emissions” from new cars. She also reminded critics of the ban that it was subject to a review in 2026.
This week, von der Leyen announced her run for a second term at the Commission as the EPP’s candidate.
The EPP has been divided over von der Leyen’s European Green Deal climate policy, pushing to roll back some elements. However, the party’s manifesto maintains a promise to advance the project further even as governments across Europe wrestle with how to meet its demanding climate targets.