Carmakers face EU law to cut pollution, says Dimas

EU legislation will be proposed forcing carmakers to cut emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, according to Stavros Dimas, the European commissioner for the environment.

In an interview with European Voice, Dimas said it was time to move to binding targets on CO2-reduction with legal penalties for carmakers that did not step into line.

Efforts to cut CO2 emissions have until now relied on a voluntary agreement with the car industry to bring emissions from new cars down to 140 milligrams per kilometre (mg/km) by 2008 and 120mg/km by 2012.

But in a review of EU measures to reduce CO2 emissions from cars, expected on 12 December, the Commission is to recommend legislation. Dimas refused to confirm the publication date but said "we will be bringing out legislation to cut CO2 emissions from cars soon".

He was speaking ahead of the UN international climate change conference in Nairobi which begins next week (6-17 November).

"The latest Commission figures show an average of 161mg for new cars in 2004," the Greek commissioner said. "It looks like there is no way manufacturers will meet the 140mg target in time."

A draft of the proposal has just been sent to other Commission departments.

Dimas added that legislation details were still under discussion, but that it would be closely based on the voluntary agreement.

This agreement sets one 140mg/km target as an average for the whole car industry, leaving room for individual car manufacturers to emit more or less than the average. Dimas said the idea of individual targets was being discussed but "it appears there will be just one target for the whole industry".

He added that, as with the voluntary commitment, manufacturers would be allowed to reduce emissions through various technical improvements. This could mean, for example, more energy-efficient fuel use or cleaner air-conditioning units.

Environmentalists have expressed fears that the impact of car emission legislation would be diluted if it focused too much on other ‘green’ transport issues, particularly biofuels.

Dimas said cutting CO2 emissions and developing biofuels were two separate issues and that biofuels would not be part of the new proposal. The CO2 law would require approval of member states and MEPs under the EU’s co-decision procedure.

The emission reduction proposals will be published along with a review of the CARS21 group (set up to look at the competitiveness of Europe’s car industry) from the Commission’s enterprise department.

A spokesman for the enterprise department said both documents would have to be approved by all 25 commissioners before publication and that no decision had so far been taken.

"Dimas and [Enterprise Commissioner Günter] Verheugen have both already made it clear they would consider legislation if necessary," said the spokesman. "But in the meantime we will continue to urge manufacturers to do all they can to improve efficiency."

He added that the results of an ongoing impact assessment of CO2 legislation were needed before a final decision could be made. "It would be premature to judge a December decision now."

Sigrid de Vries of ACEA, the European industry group, said: "As far as we are concerned legislation is not appropriate." ACEA would like instead to see an "integrated approach" to CO2 emission, involving taxation measures and fuel industry improvements as well as car manufacturers.

A report published in the UK this Monday (30 October) said "deep emissions cuts" in the transport sector were needed to prevent climate change from ending in economic catastrophe.

• See biofuels in Viewpoints

EU legislation will be proposed forcing carmakers to cut emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, according to Stavros Dimas, the European commissioner for the environment.