France, Germany Back Combustion Engine Protection Deal

France and Germany have negotiated a deal where Germany secures more time for combustion-engine vehicles while France wins tougher "Made in Europe" rules. The Franco-German agreement allows both countries to claim domestic political wins but raises questions about whether it genuinely protects European automotive jobs or merely delays the electric transition.

Byte's take

Europe's two biggest economies just carved out a parallel rulebook instead of following the shared one.