The EU has announced a series of climate change proposals that it hopes will cut emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030 and lead the bloc to being carbon neutral by 2050.

Called the ‘Fit for 55 package’ the draft proposals include taxing jet fuel and stopping the sale of petrol and diesel cars within 20 years along with a series of carbon taxes and reform of Europe's emissions trading scheme.

All measures will require approval of the 27 member states and the EU parliament, and could, as with previous measures, meet with considerable redrafts and amendments before being adopted.

EU President von der Leyen commented: “The roadmap to our new target of at least 55 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions until 2030. We chose carbon pricing as a clear guiding and market-based instrument with a social compensation. And the principle is simple: Emission of CO2 must have a price – a price on CO2 that incentivises consumers, producers and innovators to choose the clean technologies, to go towards the clean and sustainable products.”

The most controversial part of the proposals is the concept of a carbon border tariff, which will require manufacturers from outside the EU to pay more for importing materials with high carbon footprints. Some see this as effectively a protectionist measure and potentially falling foul of WTO agreements. Whether such a device can be implemented will depend upon whether other major blocs and countries impose similar measures.

Several industrial and transport groups have protested that the measures are punitive and will do little to accelerate progress, whilst campaigning organisations have expressed their disappointment that the measures do not go further.

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