Von der Leyen pledges fuel poverty help amid EU emissions trading concerns

Commission president moves to assuage fears scheme could lead to higher home energy and petrol bills

The European Commission has said it wants a fund to prevent fuel poverty, amid warnings from an ally of France's Emmanuel Macron that a proposed trading scheme to cut emissions from transport and buildings is political suicide".

The commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, is due to unveil the plans for a trading scheme on Wednesday as part of a sprawling set of proposals to get the EU on track to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, including goals to increase use of electric vehicles and phase out petrol-powered cars by 2035.