EU

The European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) has voted on a package of changes to proposed legislation on fuel efficiency standards for cars that will water them down, claim environmental groups.

The proposal put before the ITRE would have required the average CO₂ emissions of new cars in Europe to be reduced to 130 g/km by 2012.

However, the ITRE has voted for a ‘phase-in’ of this limit – and the penalties for non-compliance – until 2015. The committee also proposes changing the way car manufacturers get credits for reducing CO₂ emissions by including ‘eco-innovations’ measures such as indicators that advise drivers when to change gear.

Although these measures can improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, there are no guarantees of any improvement or measure of success, say critics from the environmental lobby.

“The industry committee wants loopholes so wide you could drive a gas-guzzling SUV through them,” says Kerstin Meyer of campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E).

The proposals will now go to the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety in a week’s time before being voted on by the full Parliament later this year.

“If [these] proposals go unchecked by the environment committee, and EU environment ministers, the legislation will be almost completely meaningless,” says Meyer.

One ray of hope is the inclusion of a long-term target to cut average CO₂ emissions to 95 g/km by 2020.

For further information:
www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/itre_home_en.htm
www.transportenvironment.org/
www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/1207/