• EU environment ministers debate car CO2 emissions proposals
• Transport Minister welcomes new UK-Ireland network to promote sustainable urban transport

EU environment ministers at the Council of Ministers held a policy debate on the Commission’s draft regulation on setting emission performance standards for new cars on 29 February, and the provisional report of the debate provides documentation of several national government’s views, including the UK, which can be viewed at

http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st07/st07027.en08.pdf.

The Slovenian president of the Council reported the the discussions as follows:

- We broadly welcome that the Commission's proposal setting performance emission standards for new passenger cars addresses the growing climate change impact from road transport and ensures that this sector contributes to the achievement of the Community's overall objective of limiting the global annual temperature increase to a maximum of 2°C above the pre-industrial evels.

- I have noticed that delegations fully support the integrated approach as proposed by the Commission, that is, the target of 120 g CO2/km by 2012, knowing that improvements in motor technology would have to reduce emissions to 130 g CO2/km while complementary measures would contribute a further emissions cut of up to 10 g CO2/km.

- We need to strike the right balance between, on the one hand, competitiveness and competition neutrality and, on the other hand, the need to reduce CO2 emissions from road transport.

- The introduction of long-term objectives was mentioned by several delegations and there is a need to study the possibility of including them in the proposed legislation, in order to give the right signal to the industry.

- The presidency will continue to work taking into consideration the outcome of today's policy debate and future discussions within the Council preparatory bodies.

In December 2007, the Commission presented the proposal for a regulation on setting emission performance standards.

The official Council of Europe meeting provisional news release does not mention, as does today’s bulletin from Reuters/Planet Ark, that German and French environment ministers both opposed the levels of fines proposed by the Commission for non-compliance with the 130 g/km CO2 limit.

The EU executive favours fines based on a system of CO2 emissions per km using the weight of a vehicle for 60% of the calculation for penalties. Germany reportedly wants vehicle weight to account for 80%, while the French, makers of lighter vehicles, reportedly advocate a figure of under 30%. French environment minister Jean-Louis Borloo said, "It is hard to accept that heavier and more powerful cars with greater emissions do not have to pay more."

Fines on companies for non-compliance will start at €20 per new car for each excess gram per km in 2012 on average over the whole fleet, and rise to €95 g/km in 2015.

Planet Ark says Germany’s position was supported during the debate by ministers from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria and Slovakia - all countries with German car manufacturing hubs - and Sweden. Italy and Romania both backed the French bid to have the percentage reduced, while Britain’s Environment Secretary Hilary Benn sought an exemption for "niche market" operators such as Jaguar, Rolls Royce and Bentley. "We want a demand for a simpler 25% effort by everybody. The current proposal does not pass the competitive neutral test," Mr. Benn said.

Under the Commission's proposals, car makers producing less than 10,000 vehicles will not be required to meet the tailpipe emission target. The proposals will require a qualified majority of the 27 ministers and the European Parliament.

Transport Minister Rosie Winterton visited Preston yesterday to mark the launch of a new UK and Ireland network to encourage innovation and promote sustainable, clean and efficient urban transport in both countries. The CIVITAS initiative includes walking and cycling projects as well as work towards more efficient and alternative-fuel PSVs.

36 cities across Europe are members of the scheme including Preston, Norwich, Winchester, Bristol and Cork. The new CIVITAS UK and Ireland Network will see local authorities work with representatives of the Department for Transport, Irish Ministry and the European Commission to share best practice.