Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned on Saturday that overly rigid green policies risk “desertifying European industry” and urged a more balanced approach to the ecological transition, emphasizing the need to preserve economic and social stability.
Speaking at a press conference in Rome following a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Meloni expressed concern that the European Union’s current strategy—particularly its aggressive push toward electrification in the automotive sector—could weaken the bloc’s industrial base.
“I have often said that in a desert there is nothing green,” Meloni said. “Before anything else, we must fight the desertification of European industry.”
Meloni emphasized the importance of integrating alternative fuels such as biofuels and hydrogen into the EU’s climate strategy, arguing that an exclusive focus on electric vehicles could expose Europe to geopolitical and supply chain vulnerabilities.
“I continue to believe it is counterproductive to focus solely on the electric transition, where the supply chains are not controlled by Europe, but by other actors,” she added.
The Italian leader also criticized the European Commission’s previous regulatory framework, describing it as inflexible and damaging to sectors like automotive manufacturing. She called on Brussels to revise elements of the European Green Deal, including the methodology for calculating emissions, to account for the full production cycle of vehicles rather than just tailpipe output.
Earlier this month, the European Parliament approved a softening of CO₂ emissions rules for automakers, allowing compliance based on average fleet emissions over 2025–2027, rather than year-by-year targets, a move that followed industry pressure and concerns about penalties potentially reaching €15 billion.
Meloni said Italy and Germany, as the EU’s two leading manufacturing nations, should take the lead in reinforcing Europe’s industrial competitiveness. “The automotive sector is one area where bilateral cooperation could make a decisive impact,” she said.
