EU emissions target 'must be differentiated between car makers' - Industry Commissioner
Mon 13 August 2007
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The EU's Industry Commissioner, Gunter Verheugen, has said that the proposed 130g/km limit on CO2 emissions for new cars must be differentiated between car manufacturers. However, he said, the makers of the largest cars will have to achieve the greatest progress.
Mr Verheugen said in an interview, published in a German newspaper, that his aim was to avoid car models being taken off the market as a result of the planned legislation.
ENDS suggested that Mr Verheugen's words indicate that larger cars will be allowed to exceed the 130g/km target because smaller cars will be required to exceed it in such a way that, overall, EU new car fleet emissions achieve the overall target, on average.
Mr Verheugen denied reports that the Commission has reached a preliminary decision on the details for reaching the 2012 targets. Various media reports had suggested that the Commission had decided to apportion emissions targets based on vehicle weight.
Mr Verheugen added that manufacturers should not be able to "buy their way out of their environmental responsibilities".
In an earlier development, MEPs urged the EU to set a target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector by 20 per cent to 2020 over 1990 levels. The non-legislative resolution was backed by a large majority of MEPs in Strasbourg.
In the resolution MEPs deplore the "insufficient application" and "incomplete execution" of EU transport legislation. They call for "pragmatic and cooperative" interactions between transport and other areas of EU policy such as energy, environment and innovation.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal (see associated link) reports that uncertainty over how the EU will apply the new CO2 regulations is clouding Ford's efforts to sell its Jaguar and Land Rover brands. WSJ says that potential bidders are wary about how the new rules could affect the future viability of the two brands which specialise in performance and sport-utility vehicles respectively.
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