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EU nations agree to push back CO2 auto limits to 2015
Brussels (AFP) Nov 1, 2008 EU member states are ready to grant automakers a three-year delay until 2015 to reduce the CO2 emissions of their new vehicles, in light of the global economic crisis, negotiators said Saturday. During a meeting Friday of representatives of the 27 nations, "a consensus was reached" on pushing back the original 2012 deadline to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, one of the negotiators said. Several colleagues confirmed his remarks, as European automakers grapple with bloated inventories and falling sales brought on by the credit crunch and a wider economic downturn. The environmental target remains the same -- for new vehicles sold in the European Union to emit no more than a benchmark 130 grammes of CO2 per kilometre. Models that exceed the limit would be subject to penalties that would escalate sharply after 2015. The Volkswagen Golf, which regularly tops the list of Europe's most popular cars, currently emits 119 to 174 grammes of CO2, depending on engine type and size, the automaker's British website (www.volkswagen.co.uk) says. For all vehicles, the current average is 158 grammes. EU member states also agreed Friday to an additional target -- to limit CO2 emissions, a major contributor to global warming, to 95 grammes per kilometre in 2020. The consensus now goes to the European Parliament for its consideration. "No country opposed the proposal," another negotiator told AFP. "No one is totally satisfied, but we all thought that such a compromise was a sufficient basis to go into negotiations with the parliament." Britain, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands expressed reservations, notably over penalties. Friday's consensus came as European automakers seek 40 billion euros in preferential-rate loans to develop greener vehicles. France, which holds the rotating EU presidency, favours such industry support, and this week the European Commission -- normally required by EU law to crack down on state aid to industry -- indicated it was open to the idea. "The automotive sector is not in great shape, and for some, the commission's proposal amounts to asking a man who weighs 60 kilogrammes to lose 30 kilogrammes on pain of death," a negotiator said. While cutting CO2 emissions to 130 grammes per kilometre is an industry-wide goal, the limit would vary according to different automakers. In Italy, Fiat's target will be 122 grammes, while in France, Renault and Peugeot-Citroen are to aim for 126 and 127 grammes respectively. For Volkwagen, the limit would be 132 grammes. Related Links Car Technology at SpaceMart.com
Car-crazy Germany plans tax relief for 'green' automobiles
Berlin (AFP) Oct 30, 2008The German government said on Thursday it planned to eliminate taxes on new cars with low greenhouse gas emissions for the first two years of ownership, but environmentalists said the scheme would backfire. |
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