Commission set to confirm CO2 legislation for carmakers

The European Commission will this month commit itself to legislation forcing EU carmakers to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new models, but the Commission is still divided over the best way to make sure a binding target is met.

The commitment will come in a review of an existing voluntary strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from cars, which asks manufacturers to make sure the average emissions from cars put on the market after 2011 is no more than 120 grams per kilometre (g/km).

"In the absence of additional measures," says a draft of the communication, "the 120g CO2/km will not be met at a 2012 horizon."

"Therefore the Commission will propose in 2007 an EU legislative framework to reduce CO2 emissions from light-duty vehicles."

After fierce discussions between Commission departments, particularly enterprise and environment, Commission officials have agreed to propose 120g/km as the most appropriate level for legislation, despite earlier concerns from the enterprise department that this would place an unmanageable burden on industry.

Internal discussions now focus on whether or not engine improvements will be enough to meet the target.

An environment department official said Stavros Dimas, the environment commissioner, wanted responsibility to remain with manufacturers, as in the voluntary commitment.

But a spokesman for Enterprise Commissioner Günter Verheugen said there were fears this would not work.

"Verheugen says it is perhaps not possible or technically feasible to reach the CO2 emission target by just looking at car engines and the car industry," explained the spokesman.

Instead, he said, the commissioner would like to see responsibility shared between several sectors, including drivers, tyre-makers, and the fuel industry.

ACEA, the industry lobby for the EU car industry, argues that a shared approach to fighting CO2 emissions would be cheaper for consumers, since it would mean changes to driving habits and lower fuel consumption, rather than paying more for technological improvements.

But environmentalists say such an approach is an attempt by industry to shirk its responsibilities and would be impossible to monitor. "If you can find anyone who can tell me how this would work I’d be very happy to meet them," said Jos Dings of Transport and Environment (T&E), the conservation group. "Mixing up responsibilities will only mix up the results."

Verheugen’s spokesman said the Commission was currently discussing the principle and not the monitoring of meeting emission reduction targets.

Upcoming proposals on biofuels - lower emission transport fuels made from plants - and the EU fuel quality directive are also expected to cut CO2 from transport.

Originally expected on the same date as the CO2 proposal, the fuel quality review could now be postponed until after the March European Council, when it would instead accompany proposals for biofuels legislation.

Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced on Tuesday (9 January) plans to set CO2 emission reduction targets for the fuels industry in the US state. T&E called on the Commission to stand by draft plans to take similar measures under the EU fuel quality review, in order to make sure only the most environmentally friendly biofuels are widely used.

The European Commission will this month commit itself to legislation forcing EU carmakers to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new models, but the Commission is still divided over the best way to make sure a binding target is met.

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