Commission claims mid-term success in reducing car pollution

A new progress report from the Commission shows that ew
passenger cars manufactured between 1995 and 2002 in the EU have
emitted 10.8 per cent less C0
₂ than in previous periods. However, the report also
signals that there is still some way to go before meeting the
target set for 2010 where new cars are to reach a 35 per cent
reduction overall.

According to the report, European and Japanese manufacturers are
on track in meeting their targets although part of the C0
₂ reductions are due to the increase in the share of
diesel cars sold in the EU. Korean manufacturers are below their
agreed targets.

The Commission has been quick to make a success of the strategy,
set up in 1995 with car manufacturers, to cut C0
₂ emissions from new cars on a voluntary basis. Under
the agreement, the industry (represented by ACEA for Europe and
JAMA and KAMA for Japan and Korea respectively) has committed
itself to cut CO
₂ emissions to 140 grams per kilometre (g/km) by 2008
(2009 for the Asians). The EU’s overarching aim is to reach -
by 2010 at the latest - an average CO
₂ emission figure of 120 g/km for all new passenger cars
marketed in the Union.

Were the industry to fail in meeting those 'voluntary' targets,
the EU might be tempted to go down a tougher road and adopt legally
binding measures.

The industry, however, have voiced doubts about how realistic
such targets were (see EURACTIV,

18 November
2003).