Commission unveils van CO2 emissions standards proposal
The European Commission has proposed a significantly watered-down bill that aims to reduce CO2 emissions from vans.
The new legislation, approved at the last meeting of the college of commissioners in its the current term before it transforms into a caretaker executive, requires that emissions for each new model of van from a manufacturer cough out no more than 175 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilometre.
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The limit will be phased in slowly, with three quarters of vans required to meet the target by 2014, four fifths by 2015 and all vans by 2016.
A tighter target of 135g/km would be scheduled for 2020.
However, earlier texts had suggested the 175g/km target be met by 2012, with a second target of 160g/km to be met by 2015.
In a further weakening, minibuses are to be exempted from the law.
Meanwhile, van-makers who exceed the limit will be fined five euros per gramme per kilometre if they miss the threshold by one gramme, a fine that climbs to €125 per gramme per kilometre if they exceed the carbon ceiling by four grammes.
Admitting that the bill was not first rate, environment commissioner Stavros Dimas bluntly told reporters as he announced the proposal: "The level of ambition is not as high as it was initially, but it's still a very important decision."
He felt that it was now or never for the legislation, meant to complement similar laws covering emissions from cars passed at the end of 2008. "If we didn't have a proposal today, whether we would have had one in the near future is uncertain," he said.
Green transport campaigners were displeased by the proposal.
Kerstin Meyer of Transport & Environment said: "We need to start cutting carbon now, not in 2016. The EU is once again weakening vehicle fuel efficiency standards, one of the most important tools for tackling carbon emissions and oil use."
The campaign group noted that the schedule represents a 14 percent reduction over nine years on the 2007 level of 203 g/km. Meanwhile, the best diesel cars have already improved by up to 27 percent over just the last two years. T&E argues that it is possible for the technology developed for cars to be used for vans.
"EU governments have spent billions in recent months on subsidies for new vehicles, bailouts for automotive companies, and taxpayer-backed loans for the development of low carbon vehicle technology," added Ms Meyer.
"By lobbying against fuel efficiency standards, the automotive industry is showing that it is more than happy to take taxpayers' money and run."