The vote for the new regulatory measures had been pushed back, but is again on the agenda thanks to the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council reigniting the issue.
The final ratification is now expected to take place on March 7.
Italy has announced it will be voting against the motion.
Germany is withholding its approval until a parallel measure for E-fuels is put in place.
Poland and Bulgaria expressed their opposition last November.
The Italian delegation have explained their position in a written public statement.
“We are certainly in favour of the transition to electric vehicles,” the document reads.
“We do not believe, however, that in the interim it represents the only path towards net zero emissions."
The statement claimed that because the provision did not provide any incentives for the use of renewable energy, Italy could not support it.
Italian Minister for Business, Adolfo Urso, tweeted a defiant message.
“With our no we have woken Europe up,” he said.
“We hope others will understand that now is the time for reason.”
ANSA
