Presidency report suggests support for delay of Cars and CO2 target
Wed 28 May 2008
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A report prepared by the Slovenian Presidency of the European Union suggests growing governmental support for delaying the proposed 2012 deadline for reducing average new car CO2 emissions to 130g/km by three years. The European Parliament's lead rapporteur on cars and CO2, Guido Sacconi MEP, opposes any delay. Meanwhile, Germany and France are reported to be close to reaching a 'deal' in bilateral talks about the European regulation.
The Presidency report reveals increasing governmental support for extending the 2012 deadline. The European Commission proposed the target late last in 2007 as part of legislation aimed at achieving the long-standing EU target of 120g/km by 2012. Whereas some governments would like the target to be delayed by three years to 2015, others support a phased introduction over the same time span.
Guido Sacconi MEP, the European Parliament’s lead rapporteur on Cars and CO2, opposes the Presidency's proposals for delaying the targets. According to a draft report for the Environment Committee, a main priority is to ensure the introduction of a long-term target for cutting new-car emissions of no more than 95g/km by 2020. (A review, scheduled for 2014, could set a tighter target.) However, shadow rapporteurs Martin Callanan and Chris Davies expressed their support for a phasing in of the regulations by 2015 when the report was discussed in the Environment Committee.
Meanwhile, Planet Ark reports that Germany and France are close to reaching an understanding on the Cars and CO2 regulation proposals.
Germany fears that the EU rules would disadvantage its industry which produces, on average, larger cars than are made in France. Germany argues that all categories of car, including smaller, lower carbon cars, should have to cut emissions.
Officials from Berlin and Paris are reported to have made progress on almost all the sticking points, according to 'a German government source'. France wants to have a deal in place by the time the French President meets the German Chancellor on June 9, the source said.
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