French EU presidency proposes delay for car emission reductions

France, currently chairing the six-month rotating EU presidency, has put a proposal to member states that backs a gradualist approach to limiting carbon dioxide emissions from cars.

Paris is proposing that instead of all cars sold in 2012 being restricted to emitting a maximum of 130 grammes of CO2 per kilometre - the measure proposed by the European Commission and last week largely endorsed by the European Parliament's environment committee - only 60 percent of all new cars would have ...