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EU industry commissioner Günter Verheugen has signalled
that the European Commission may need to make more concessions
on its green proposal for cars, as the automobile industry
appears unlikely to start producing more environmentally friendly
cars by 2012.
Mr Verheugen told the German newspaper Handelsblatt
in a recent interview that, while he "fully" supports the
commission's plan, he thinks "the European automobile industry
will [only] be able to meet the target without great difficulty
from 2015."
As part of a broad set of initiatives to fight climate change,
the EU executive proposed an overall target of reducing carbon
dioxide emissions by cars sold in Europe to an average of
120 grams per kilometre by 2012. The current average across
manufacturers is 160g/km. The package includes a system of
penalties for car makers who fail to reach the limits, with
a charge of €20 per extra gram of CO2
per car, with the penalties rising to €95 by 2015.
The German commissioner suggested that his colleagues in
the commission are well aware that "not all new cars will
meet these standards" by the adopted deadline and referred
to calls in the European Parliament for its postponement by
three years. "The commission has to get it into its head that
we have to reach a sensible compromise" - Mr Verheugen argued.
His Greek colleague in charge of environment, Stavros Dimas,
also appeared to soften his approach towards car manufacturers
in an interview with the same newspaper in April. Amid a row
between Germany and France on how the car industry should
distribute the ambitious green targets, Mr Dimas said it should
be up to member states to agree on a workable compromise,
as long as the overall target is maintained.
The move was viewed as a friendly gesture towards the German
car-makers, predominantly producing larger luxury and less
environmentally friendly cars - such as Porsche, BMW and Audi
- who have been arguing that they are being unfairly hit by
Brussels' target.
However, it remains unclear whether flexibility on burden-sharing
could boost the chances of a compromise between Germany and
countries producing smaller and greener cars - mainly France
and Italy.
The complicated package is currently being debated by MEPs,
with the leading euro-deputies trying to reach a deal with
member states in order to make the legislative process go
faster.
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