France and Germany agree to ease EU car emissions rules in new deal

France and Germany have backed a further scaling down of EU emission rules for cars as part of a long-negotiated deal on the automotive industry struck Thursday, diplomatic sources confirmed to AFP. Europe's two economic powerhouses also agreed to include Britain in the definition of what vehicles would count as "made in Europe" under EU measures aiming to bolster the bloc's industries, according to a draft document outlining the pact. Paris and Berlin had long been at loggerheads on the course Europe should take as it seeks to revive its struggling auto industry and the accord is likely to shape the continent's policy going forward. Germany wanted less stringent carbon emission targets for carmakers and a broad interpretation of "made in Europe" to include key non-EU trade partners. France on the other hand had pushed to preserve the bloc's climate ambitions and to keep the "made in Europe" public procurement scheme the purview of EU nations. Berlin won the first argument while Paris carried the day on the latter, the draft shows. The deal is provisional pending a final sign-off from Berlin, diplomats said. To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracki...