(Reuters) -Europe’s embattled carmakers are hoping for a reprieve when Brussels unveils an auto sector package next month, which could water down an effective ban on new combustion engines initially slated for 2035 as a shift towards electric engines stutters.

The continent’s automakers from Volkswagen to Renault had high hopes for the electric vehicle shift when they set ambitious targets at the beginning of the decade, efforts that have since collided with the reality of lower-than-expected demand and fierce competition from China.

WHAT IS EXPECTED ON DECEMBER 10?

Brussels is set to unveil measures designed to support the regional auto industry, one of the EU’s most important sectors, in the face of high energy costs, tariffs on exports to the U.S., and Asian rivals eating into the bl

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