Press release - November 10, 2010
Brussels, International — Greenpeace responds to the European Commission’s progress report on reducing CO2 emissions from cars and vans to 120 grams per kilometre by 2012.
Greenpeace EU transport policy adviser Franziska Achterberg said: "The EU is well on the road to missing its 2012 fuel efficiency target. Consumers still won't have access to cheaper-to-run, greener vehicles because legislation was agreed too late and then watered down bowing to car industry pressure. To add insult to injury, leaked documents suggest that the Commission is trying to export its failure to achieve fuel efficiency targets by undermining efficiency standards elsewhere in the world."
Leaked Commission documents indicate that its Trade department is trying to sabotage car efficiency progress in Korea in order to maintain EU exports of polluting luxury cars.
According to Greenpeace, the Commission should learn from its failure by putting forward legislation for a 2020 target in good time. It should also set new targets of 60 grammes for 2025, and 50 grammes for 2030 to encourage the car industry to seek technological progress in efficiency.
To see copies of the leaked documents, call Franziska Achterberg at +32 498 36 24 03.