Vote on EU 95g CO2 limit delayed indefinitely following German Government pressure
Fri 28 June 2013
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A vote which was expected to confirm a 95g/km CO2 limit for new cars by 2020 has been indefinitely delayed as a result of pressure by the German Government according to reports. An agreement was understood to have been reached on the target between the European Parliament, the Commission and the Council. It must now be addressed by Lithuania, which takes on the the six-month rotating EU Council Presidency on 1 July.
EurActiv reports that earlier this week, the proposal to limit passenger car emissions to 95 grams of CO2 per km (g/km) was hailed by the Irish environment minister Phil Hogan as “a win-win for climate, consumers, innovation and jobs. ”
“The way it happened was highly unusual in that it was the result of high level contacts, ” one diplomat told EurActiv. “The choice of the [Irish] presidency was dictated to them. ”
The source confirmed press reports that Chancellor Merkel called Ireland’s Taoiseach Enda Kenny over the issue the night before the summit of EU leaders, which opened in Brussels on 27 June.
German car-makers such as Daimler and BMW have complained that the proposed targets unfairly singled them out. At 147 g/km on average, emissions from Germany’s car industry are 15g/km higher than the EU median, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).
Clean car campaigners say that Berlin is playing for time until Croatia’s accession to the EU on 1 July brings it closer to a blocking minority at the EU Council of Ministers, which represents the member states. But as yesterday’s vote was merely indicative, Zagreb would still have had a say in any final Council decision.
Green campaigners were highly critical. Transport & Environment’s Greg Archer said: “It is ludicrous for Germany to claim it needs more time, as the 95g target was agreed five years ago and Germany has already put forward five different proposals that have been rejected by the vast majority of EU countries.”
Ivan Hoda, the secretary-general of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), speaking to EurActiv earlier this year said low carbon cars were “extremely expensive to develop, the market intake is not easy and there’s no incentive financially from governments or the EU. So as an incentive to the industry for developing these vehicles, we see the super-credits as being one of the best means for doing that. ”
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