Europe's car industry should give united response to EC 2012 targets proposal
Tue 24 April 2007
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The head of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) has urged Europe's car industry to give a united response to European Commission proposals for mandatory targets for new car emissions even if small car producers are likely to find the limits easier to meet.
In an interview reported by Reuters, Sergio Marchionne, who is currently the head of ACEA and also chief executive of Italian car maker, Fiat said: "The industry must stick together with a common response to Brussels...There's a tendency on the part of producers of smaller cars to deviate simply because they may find it easier to deal with."
The ACEA head was offering further reaction to European Commission proposals to set binding limits on the emissions produced by new cars sold in Europe. In its initial response to the proposals, ACEA said they were "unbalanced and damaging to the European economy".
Mr Marchionne is reported by Reuters as saying that he thinks ACEA could come up with a formal response to the EC's proposals by the middle of the year. "It's not in Fiat's interest ... nor in anybody's else to force one of our competitors into a position where he cannot comply with regulations from Brussels" he said.
Some observers suggested that Mr Marchionne's comments indicate that the industry is struggling to find a common position in response to the EC's proposals as some manufacturers would appear to be in a much better position than others to meet the proposed targets.
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