How a ban was sold as a Man on the Moon moment to the European people

How a ban was sold as a Man on the Moon moment to the European people

As an engineer, I am shocked by the use of the term ‘Man on the Moon’ moment. Have you heard about the ‘Man on the Moon’ moment in 2019?
It was not an innovation.
It wasn’t the first technical project of its kind.
It wasn’t even an achievement.
The Moonshot of the EU that was never launched…

EU administration promises a ‘Man on the Moon’ moment

When Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the European Green Deal in 2019, she famously called it “Europe’s man on the moon moment.”
The phrase was repeated across European media and institutions, including The Parliament Magazine, which reported her framing of the Green Deal as a historic leap comparable to the Apollo programme.

How can a regulatory package focused on restricting technologies and banning combustion engines be compared to one of the greatest engineering achievements?

The Apollo programme was a feat of engineering, innovation, and scientific ambition.
The moon landing expanded human capability.
It sparked imaginations.
It inspired generations.

The Green Deal, by contrast, is a framework of prohibitions, and market interventions. The metaphor collapses under its own weight.

Finally, the ban on combustion engines was cancelled in 2025

In 2025, the European Commission walked back its plan to ban new combustion‑engine cars by 2035 — a major retreat from its earlier climate policy commitments.

A policy that was once presented as a historic leap forward was quietly reversed when reality pushed back due to charging infrastructure lagging behind expectations, EV prices remaining high, European manufacturers struggling against top countries, and industrial jobs being at risk.

Could the ban on combustion engines ever take off? If so, it never left the launchpad.

Policies may cause harm

The Green Deal is not the only field where EU policymaking risks distorting markets.
Policies usually imply regulatory costs.

Why does the EU administration think that policies can control and shift innovation for the better?

Isn’t this a paradoxon?!

References

Science With Data //