To prevent interference of intake/discharge valves and a piston near a top dead center in a valve gear wherein both of valve timing (opening/closing timing) of the intake/discharge valves and a valve lifting quantity are variably controlled.

A target valve timing of an intake valve-side variable valve timing mechanism (VTC) is determined on the basis of load and rotating speed of an engine (S2), and a target valve timing upper limit value of the VTC is set in response to an actual valve lifting quantity of the intake valve side variable valve lifting mechanism (VEL). When the VTC target valve timing determined on the basis of the load and engine rotating speed is over the target valve timing upper limit value (S5), the target valve timing is limited to the VTC target valve timing upper limit value (S7).