Disagreement within Germany's awkward three-way coalition may pose problems for EU plans to cut truck emissions after the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) raised unexpected objections, government representatives said on Wednesday.
The German government could not agree a common position on the EU proposals, government representatives told Reuters.
Government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said a vote in Brussels on a provisional deal planned for Wednesday had been delayed until Friday.
It is the third time within about a year that wrangling in Berlin has hampered EU plans. The government said this week it would abstain from a vote on an EU supply chain law due to FDP resistance. Last year, a row over the phaseout of combustion engines caused a delay.
The European Council and Parliament last month agreed a provisional deal for a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles by 2040 from 2019 levels.
German government representatives, however, said that FDP Transport Minister Volker Wissing had expressed objections, and that he wanted to allow climate-neutral e-fuels, like e-kerosene, e-methane, or e-methanol, which are made by synthesizing captured CO2 emissions and hydrogen, to count towards this target.
Neither the environment nor transport ministries would comment on the reasons for the delay of the package.
If the German coalition, made up of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats, the FDP and Greens, cannot agree on a joint position, the government will have to abstain.
Italy is fighting for the inclusion of biofuels, although this was rejected in October. Together with some eastern European members, the plans could be blocked.
The heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) sector is responsible for more than a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions from road transport in the European Union.
