• MEPs make dramatic stand for cleaner cars, but French follow-up ignores it

    MEPs have rejected moves for the Commission’s proposals for binding carbon dioxide standards for new cars to be watered down. But the vote was followed by a proposal from the French presidency that would indeed weaken the proposals.

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    The debate over Europe’s first obligatory emissions limits for new cars intensified dramatically last month.

    First the environment committee voted with a substantial majority to reinforce the Commission’s limit of a 130 g/km average by 2012. Media reporting of the vote was generally united in viewing it as unexpected and a blow to the lobbying efforts of big business, especially the German car industry.

    ‘This is a great day for democracy,’ said one MEP, while another said: ‘There was a big fight with industry and governments, and the Germans and French were adding a lot of pressure.’

    But just five days later France, which holds the EU presidency, proposed a new compromise package that would delay the effect of the legislation and reduce the proposed penalties for companies that exceed permitted levels. T&E described the French move as being ‘totally out of touch with the needs of citizens who are desperate to reduce their fuel bills.’

    MEPS’ VOTE

    A month of dealing and counterdealing began with the industry committee calling to effectively remove penalties and a ‘phased-in’ approach to the 130 g/km target. It escalated with the environment committee rejecting both the phased option and the reduced penalties, as well as insisting on a further target of 95 g/km for 2020. And it ended with France coming to the aid of Europe’s biggest car makers.

    T&E director Jos Dings said: ‘Let us give credit to the MEPs who have stood up to the demands of the car industry and four or five car-producing member states. They have sent a strong signal that Europeans need fuel-efficient cars now, not in five or 10 years’ time.

    ‘But it’s also important to see this vote in context. A target of 120 g/km was first proposed for 2005, and throughout the life of the voluntary agreement that had a target of 140 g/km by this year, 120 g/km was considered the next goal for 2012. So while we are pleased the environment committee has resisted the pressure of the lobbyists, it’s important to recognise it has voted for a target that is still more lenient on the car industry than is reasonable and feasible. That makes the French government’s action all the more out of touch.’

    The Italian socialist Guido Sacconi had tried to create a compromise between the industry committee’s stance and the Commission’s proposals. Sacconi proposed amendments that included a phased approach and penalties of €50 per gram of CO2 exceeded, not €95 as originally proposed.

    But he appears to have leaned too far towards industry and created a backlash among a coalition of MEPs concerned about the environment. The Swedish liberal Lena Ek said: ‘In the dark hours of the night [before the vote], the members added up all the loopholes and the various percentages, and realised this wasn’t good enough for the environment.’

    The environment committee has proposed a short term target and penalties in line with the European Commission proposal as well as a longer term goal of 95 g/km for 2020.

    The French presidency proposal, on the other hand, was to delay the 130g/km standard until 2015 with a weakened target for 2020 of up to 110g/km and penalties that would be no more than €80 per gram exceeded.

    Greenpeace said: ‘This proposal means business as usual, with European citizens continuing to bear the burden of high fuel consumption for years to come.’