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Czech Republic Joining Italy to Fight Carmakers' CO2 Fines

Skoda Auto cars are seen at the production line as the carmaker launches production of MEB battery systems in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic, May 17, 2022. REUTERS/David W Cerny/File Photo
Skoda Auto cars are seen at the production line as the carmaker launches production of MEB battery systems in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic, May 17, 2022. REUTERS/David W Cerny/File Photo
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Czech Republic Joining Italy to Fight Carmakers' CO2 Fines

Skoda Auto cars are seen at the production line as the carmaker launches production of MEB battery systems in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic, May 17, 2022. REUTERS/David W Cerny/File Photo
Skoda Auto cars are seen at the production line as the carmaker launches production of MEB battery systems in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic, May 17, 2022. REUTERS/David W Cerny/File Photo

The Czech Republic will join Italy in seeking to prevent carmakers from facing heavy penalties from next year when tougher CO2 emission rules take effect in the European Union, Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka said on Sunday.

Kupka said carmakers will face problems meeting new targets due to falling demand for electric vehicles in Europe, adding that the two countries had agreed on Friday to present their joint stance this week when EU leaders meet in Budapest.

Starting in 2025, the EU will lower a cap on average emissions from new vehicle sales to 94 grams/km from 116g/km. Exceeding that cap could lead to fines of 95 euros ($103) per excess CO2 g/km multiplied by the number of vehicles sold.

Carmakers face trouble adjusting their ranges to meet those targets, Kupka said, Reuters reported.

"They cannot do it because interest in electric cars is falling in all of Europe," Kupka told a Sunday debate show on broadcaster CNN Prima News. He said carmakers would lack money to finance research and development if they are forced to pay fines.

The Czech Republic is among a group of EU countries pushing back against the bloc's so-called Green Deal to tackle climate change and curb pollution. The tougher limits next year are a step towards plans to ban sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035.

The car industry contributes around 9% of GDP in the Czech Republic, a country of 10.9 million which made 1.4 million cars in 2023, making it one of Europe's biggest per-capita producers.

Three carmakers operate in the country - Volkswagen's Skoda Auto, Hyundai Motor Co and Toyota Motor Corp.

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PIF, Google Cloud Partner to Establish AI Hub in Saudi Arabia

The partnership will emphasize joint research on Arabic language models and Saudi-specific AI applications. - SPA
The partnership will emphasize joint research on Arabic language models and Saudi-specific AI applications. - SPA
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PIF, Google Cloud Partner to Establish AI Hub in Saudi Arabia

The partnership will emphasize joint research on Arabic language models and Saudi-specific AI applications. - SPA
The partnership will emphasize joint research on Arabic language models and Saudi-specific AI applications. - SPA

PIF and Google Cloud announced on Wednesday a strategic partnership to establish a global artificial intelligence (AI) hub near Dammam, in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Region.
According to a press release issued by the PIF, the landmark partnership, signed at the 8th edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII8), further positions Saudi Arabia as a global AI hub and a top destination for enterprises and startups. This collaboration aims to enhance the Saudi workforce by offering AI programs to millions of students and professionals, supporting the national objective of growing the information and communication technology (ICT) sector by 50%.
Under this partnership, customers will be able to leverage Google Cloud’s technology to drive growth across industries and expand the capacity for AI application delivery. Businesses and their consumers can anticipate improved AI application quality and data services, delivered locally and with greater efficiency, SPA reported.
Subject to regulatory approvals, the partnership will emphasize joint research on Arabic language models and Saudi-specific AI applications. Enabled by Google Cloud’s substantial investment and expertise in custom silicon, this high-performance infrastructure will feature the latest tensor processing unit (TPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerators, along with the Vertex AI platform—Google Cloud’s specialized development environment for building generative AI applications.
The release added atht this collaboration underscores Saudi Arabia’s attractiveness for major tech initiatives. Investors are drawn to the nation’s strategic location at the crossroads of three continents, its advanced infrastructure, its access to fast-growing Middle Eastern markets, and the potential for reliable and affordable renewable energy to support the AI hub.
Governor of PIF Yasir Al-Rumayyan said, “We are delighted to welcome this new Google Cloud AI hub to Saudi Arabia. This partnership demonstrates PIF’s dedication to fostering an AI-friendly environment through investments in human capital and technology, upskilling thousands with cutting-edge tools to support our sustainable and innovative infrastructure goals. Saudi Arabia is a prime location for global tech partners, as PIF brings both sector expertise and a long-term approach to investment.”
Meanwhile, President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google Ruth Porat added, “This strategic partnership will accelerate the adoption of AI in the local language and across industries—including healthcare, retail, financial services, and more—for enterprises and startups in Saudi Arabia, across the Middle East, Africa, and worldwide. As part of Saudi Arabia’s vibrant technology ecosystem, we aim to create highly skilled jobs for Saudis and provide opportunities for global businesses to drive growth through cloud adoption.”
Technology is one of PIF’s priority investment sectors, enabling critical areas of the economy, including entertainment, financial services, healthcare, transportation, logistics, utilities, and renewables. PIF’s telecom, communications, and technology investments include the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE), which delivers digital and cyber services through national talent, and iot squared, a company specializing in the Internet of Things.
To advance Arabic-language models, PIF and Google Cloud will explore enhancing the Arabic-language capabilities of Gemini, Google’s generative AI model family, by integrating additional Arabic datasets with Google Cloud’s technology. This will provide local businesses, researchers, and developers the opportunity to incorporate these models into their systems, enabling sophisticated Arabic-language AI agents and applications.
Preliminary research commissioned by Google Cloud and conducted by tech policy advisory firm Access Partnership estimates the new AI hub could contribute a cumulative $71 billion to Saudi Arabia’s GDP over eight years. Increased economic activity from AI adoption is expected to support the creation of thousands of highly skilled direct and indirect jobs.
These investments expand on Google Cloud’s existing presence in Saudi Arabia, which includes the Dammam cloud region, launched last year as part of Google Cloud’s global network of 40 regions.