Germany’s Transport Minister Volker Wissing on Tuesday suggested that synthetic fuels should still be allowed for use beyond the 2035 deadline proposed by the European Union to ban new vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. 

“Now the European Commission must deliver,” Wissing of the pro-business FDP said in a press conference, urging the EU’s executive to take a more flexible approach.

His statement was met with surprise from the Environment Ministry, which stated that all ministries were in agreement regarding the ban. 

The Free Democratic Party, who has long championed the idea of climate-neutral synthetic fuels or ‘e-fuels’, have advocated that such fuels should enable the continuation of the use of combustion engines. The European Parliament, Commission, and EU member states all approved a ban on combustion engines for passenger cars by 2035; however, this still requires ratification by all member countries. Should Germany be unable to come to an agreement, they may abstain. With opposition from Italy and some eastern European countries as well, this could cause the EU-wide ban to be thrown into question.