Commission puts CO2 squeeze on Belgium and Netherlands

The European Commission has told yet another two member states to toughen up national plans for cutting greenhouse gasses, as part of efforts to help the EU reach its Kyoto target on climate change in 2012.

Belgium and the Netherlands have both given their heavy industry too many pollution-allowances for 2008-2012, the commission said on Tuesday (16 January), ordering the two Benelux states to cut their allowances by seven and five percent respectively.

As part of the EU's emissio...