• Widespread criticism of draft car report

    A report for the European Parliament’s environment committee on the Commission’s proposals to limit carbon dioxide emissions from new cars has been widely criticised, and not just by the environmental movement.

    [mailchimp_signup][/mailchimp_signup]

    The report by Chris Davies proposes to give car makers three more years to meet the EU’s existing target for cars of 120 grams per kilometre by 2012. Brussels is proposing to keep the 2012 target but to lessen the car makers’ responsibility to 130 g/km and hope the rest is made up of “additional measures”.

    T&E described Davies’ proposals as “unacceptably weak”. Speaking at a public seminar organised by Davies, T&E director Jos Dings said: “If existing best practices were adopted by all car makers, we would be at 130 g/km today.”

    The 2015 deadline was also rejected by the EP’s industry committee and by Germany’s transport minister, who until last month was president of the transport Council.

    The industry committee voted earlier this month to support the plans for binding limits for passenger cars and reject a postponement to 2015. The environment committee must take this vote into account when it discusses the issue in September.

    And Germany’s transport minister Sigmar Gabriel told the car magazine Automobilwoche that 130 g/km by 2012 would remain the target. “We’ve agreed to this goal. And we’ll stick to it,” Gabriel said. “Planning security must also be in the interest of car makers and suppliers.”

    Environment ministers meeting last month also confirmed their support for the Commission’s 130 g/km requirement for car makers by 2012.

    This news story is taken from the July 2007 edition of T&E Bulletin.