Monday

20th Mar 2023

Brussels backs down on green limits for car producers

The European Commission is expected to propose a reduction in CO2 emissions by cars to 130 grams per kilometer by 2012.

The limit is higher than the original cap favoured by environment commissioner Stavros Dimas, at 120 g/km.

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Brussels argues that although the emissions goal is less ambitious than originally envisaged, its overall green targets would still be achieved by the use of biofuels and other technology in combination with car-makers' efforts, Reuters reported.

Moreover, after a 1998 voluntary scheme for the car industry failed to bring along a significant drop in greenhouse emissions by Europe's automobiles, the EU executive will now table binding legislation to achieve the reduction.

If adopted, the compromise would however come as a blow to Mr Dimas who pushed for a binding proposal on sharper reductions of car emissions, placing less emphasis on the effect of cleaner fuels.

The sensitive blueprint has been delayed for weeks due to internal wrangles inside the commission as well as indications by some member states - especially Germany as the biggest EU car-making country - that they would block the plan.

The dispute over the commission's climate agenda also produced criticism of Berlin, which currently holds the EU presidency.

After weekend remarks by Mr Dimas criticising Germany for its lack of interest in curbing climate change, commission president Jose Manuel Barroso made a similar statement talking to a magazine serving the German parliament, Das Parlament.

He argued it is "unfair" that Berlin opposes the pollution target for the country's industry as proposed by the EU executive.

"We cannot simply tailor our criteria to the wishes of individual member states. That would be inappropriate and unfair," said Mr Barroso.

EU launches critical raw materials act

The EU presented its strategy to ensure access to critical raw materials needed for clean technologies. No country should supply more than 65 percent of any key material. Currently, China dominates almost all rare earth metal markets.

'The race is on', EU Commission warns on green tech

The EU Commission is expected to detail its plans on Thursday as part of the Net-Zero Industry Act on industrial incentives, and the Critical Raw Materials Act, which seeks to reduce EU over-reliance on China.

Looser EU fiscal rules agreed, with 'country-specific' flexibility

EU finance ministers agreed on new spending rules, copying much of previously existing rules. One worry is that only three countries — Sweden, Denmark and Luxembourg — could currently afford to meet green commitments while meeting debt and deficit rules.

Opinion

Corporate lobbying and the delay of the EU's Reach directive

The European Commission has delayed publishing its proposal to revise the Reach regulation, a key part of the European Green Deal's chemicals strategy. Centre-right political pressure, backed up by corporate lobbying, seems to have been behind the decision to delay.

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