In 1998, the European car association committed its members to reduce the average CO2 emissions from their new car sales in the EU to 140 grams per kilometre by 2008.

Korean and Japanese car associations made similar commitments one year later for their EU sales and all three were given a decade to fulfil their promises.

However, statistics presented by the transport federation show that all three associations are not on track to make their commitments.

In 2004, the rate for European car makers was 162 grams per kilometre and 160 for 2005.

Over the next three years, they would have to reduce the CO2 emissions by four percent a year - an unprecedented level - to meet the targets.

Transport Environment notes that European manufacturers are "set to miss the 140 g/km target by approximately 13 grams if present trends continue. [Japanese and Korean car manufacturing associations] will miss their 2009 targets by 20 grams or more.

"Individual car manufacturers have refused to disclose their performance towards the commitment."

The commitments are part of the overall EU commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, the international climate change treaty.

The EU has said it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8 per cent by 2008-2012 compared to 1990 levels.

Transport is the worst performing sector with CO2 emissions from transport growing by 32 percent between 1990 and 2004.

Meanwhile the overall share of transport in CO2 emissions grew by seven percent to 28 percent in the same period - emissions from passenger cars and vans account for approximately half of this, according to the Annual European Community greenhouse gas emissions inventory.