Air pollution: scheme to monitor the average emissions of carbon dioxide CO₂ from new passenger cars

The Commission accepts 2 amendments entirely, 1 in part and 3 in principle. The amendments that the Commission accepted aim to : - bring forward the date of the report to be presented by the Commission on the implementation of the programme (the dates indicated in the decision could be reviewed as a function of the adoption date) from the 31/12/2003 to the 31/12/2002; - add the length and the width of the vehicles to the list of technical control characteristics to be checked; - describe the surveillance procedures; - put the accent on the second and the third pillar of Community strategy on the rates of CO2 and particular cars, such as consumer information and the use of tax incentive measures. The Commission accepts in principle the proposed amendment that concerns vehicles in the N1 category. However, it must be reformulated in such a way as to make it conform with the interinstitutional agreement and to take account of the current state of progress of work that is being carried out for different categories of vehicles. The Commission believes that N1 category vehicles constitute a priority target for the new voluntary agreements. It for this reason that the Commission is currently taking the first measures with a view to including fuel consumption and the measure of CO2 emissions of light utility vehicles (N1 category vehicles) in the legislation relating to the type-approval of vehicles. The inclusion of types of vehicles, other than NI category, is not foreseen for the time being, the main reason being that these vehicles are reputed for being efficient on a consumption level (trucks), or because their share in overall CO2 emissions is too low. In addition, the Commission accepts, in principle, the amendment that aims to add a new article which clarifies the nature of the report. This should also analyse whether the changes in the volume of CO2 emissions are resulting from the efforts agreed to by the manufacturers or if they are attributable to other elements of the strategy which aim to reduce the CO2 emissions of specific vehicles. On the other hand, the Commission did not accept the amendments that seek to: - clarify the text by underlining that the obligation to stabilise CO2 emissions contracted by the Community could necessitate a reduction in greenhouse gas concentrations; - oblige the Commission to present a legal framework for the agreements concluded with the car manufacturers· organisations with respect to the environment; - strengthen the Commission·s powers with respect to the Member States. Although the Commission cannot accept these last amendments, the common position represents an adequate solution from this point of view.�