EU Commission tables car emissions plans

Paris, 21 December: The European Commission put forward plans on Wednesday to reduce average car emissions to 130 grams per kilometre (g/km) by 2012, but the proposal was criticised by environmentalists for pandering to the demands of the car industry, which in turn slammed the proposals.

The planned legislation should reduce average carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from new passenger cars in the European Union from around 160g/km to 130g/km in 2012. A further 10g/km reduction is expected to be gained from greater use of biofuels and efficiency improvements for car components with the highest impact on fuel consumption, such as tyres and air conditioning systems.

“This proposal demonstrates that the EU is committed to being a world leader in cutting CO₂ emissions and the development of a low carbon economy”, said Commission president José Manuel Barroso.

Environment commissioner Stavros Dimas claimed the legislation would “moreover…encourage the car industry to invest in new technologies and actively promote eco-innovation, which is a driver for more and high-quality jobs".

The legislation will try to curb CO₂ emissions from new vehicles by setting an emission limit based on the mass of a vehicle, meaning manufacturers will still be able to make cars with emissions above this limit as long as the fleet average remains at 130 grams.

Manufacturers which fail to comply with the legislation will be liable to pay an excess emissions premium of €20 ($29) per g/km in 2012, rising to €35 in 2013, €60 in 2014 and €95 as of 2015. The premium will be based on the number of g/km that an average vehicle sold by the manufacturer is above the limit, multiplied by the number of vehicles sold by the manufacturer.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) warned that the proposals would undermine the sector's competitive position and “lead to disproportioned costs compared to the environmental gains and the costs of carbon reduction facing other sectors”.

Greenpeace criticised the proposal, claiming the Commission had “relegated climate change to the back seat and granted major concessions to the car industry”.

The environmental group called the planned penalties “feeble” and said they were “unlikely to deter car companies from violating the emission standard”.

ACEA countered that “the penalties being proposed are of an unprecedented high level … If [set] at all, penalties should be reasonable and defined in relation to the market price of CO₂ applied widely to other sectors,” said its president Sergio Marchionne.

Both Greenpeace and the sustainable transport group Transport and Environment demanded that the final legislation base emissions requirements on the size not the weight of the car.

They believe the current plans will continue to allow heavy cars to emit more CO₂ and provide little incentive for car makers to reduce the weight, and therefore the emissions, of vehicles such as SUVs (sport-utility vehicles).

The proposal must now be given the green light by national ministers and the European Parliament before it can be implemented.