However, the commission last week brought forward a 2026 review of the policy to this year, and yielded to pressure from carmakers by giving them three years, rather than one, to comply with 2025 emission limits.
Gieseke said if other EU legislators agreed, the 2035 target could be brought into negotiations on the 2025 limits as early as next month.
A majority of the European parliament and a reinforced majority of EU countries must approve any changes to the car policies.
Italy and the Czech Republic, plus the party of Germany's likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz, have vowed to revise the 2035 target. But a senior EU diplomat said that, for now, most countries did not support amending the goal.
The EPP holds 188 of the 720 seats in the European parliament but would need other legislator groups' support for any changes.
Right-wing EU legislators favour changing the 2035 policy. But the Socialists and Greens oppose weakening emissions goals, and argue the focus should be supporting carmakers to transition to electric vehicles and catch up with Chinese competitors.
Socialist EU legislator Mohammed Chahim warned during a European parliament debate on Wednesday that “nostalgia” for traditional vehicles risked stifling innovation.
“I feel like I'm in the boardroom of Nokia when the iPhone was just released,” he said.