|
›
Commission sticks to original CO2 target |
 |
The European Commission will insist on proposing a target for vehicle emissions of 130g/CO2/km by 2012, despite a recent vote by the Parliament supporting a tougher target but more time. Possible regulation of advertising is also high on the agenda.
|
2007-11-05
|
“We are listening carefully to Parliament, but we have done our homework”, the European Commission spokeswoman for environment, Barbara Helferrich, told to Automotive News Europe. She thus confirmed that the Commission will not change the planned target of 130 grams of CO2 per Kilometer by 2012.
In a recent vote, the European Parliament recommends a target of 125g/km, but to be achieved only in 2015, against the original proposal by the Commission from February, opting for 130g /km by 2012 from vehicle technology alone, with an additional 10 grams reduction coming from air conditioning systems, tyres or alternative fuels. Currently, average emissions of vehicles are at a level of 160 g /km, according to Automotive News Europe.
Advertisement rules?
Another controversial proposal by the Parliament refers to a mandatory code for car advertising, which is being disputed by the media. The proposal would oblige carmakers to reserve 20% of promotion space for new cars, in advertising, brochures and showrooms, to information about the vehicle’s environmental performance.
The European Publishers Council (EPC) said that the proposal was "extremely concerning" for the press, TV, radio and internet. EPC Executive Director Angela Mills Wade, said: "We already have rules in place to control misleading claims as well as detailed self-regulatory guidelines on how to handle environmental issues."
|
Egta, the association of television and radio sales houses, also expressed concern about the proposal. With the car industry representing one of the top investors in advertising, this measure could have a “considerable impact on the advertising sector's revenues”, according to Secretary General Michel Grégoire. He also believes that it is "misleading to pretend that [the proposal] could have an impact on CO2 emission levels".
|
|
|
Background
The European Commission is expected to launch a proposal for mandatory EU-wide standards for vehicle emissions early next year, as part of a bigger package of legislative proposals on climate change. Before that, EU Ministers will discuss the current recommendation by the Parliament and will issue an opinion to be considered by the Commission.
|
|
|
