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

OBJECTIVE: to establish a scheme to monitor the average specific emissions of carbon dioxide from new passenger cars, with the aim of measuring the effectiveness of the Community strategy. SUBSTANCE: the Community's strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions includes an objective for new passenger cars sold in the Community to attain an average specific emission of carbon dioxide of 120 g/km by 2005 (or 2010 at the latest). At present there is no Community-wide scheme to monitor with precision carbon dioxide emissions from new passenger cars. The objectives of the Commission proposal are therefore: - to assess the effectiveness of the Community's strategy for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from cars; - to provide information on changes in the passenger car fleet due to the implementation of the strategy which may affect other Community policy objectives such as air quality, ground level ozone, regional acidification and road safety; - to assess the impact on the new car market of the Community's strategy for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from cars. The proposal for a decision provides for the establishment of a monitoring programme to collect information relating to the specific emissions of carbon dioxide, manufacturer, fuel type, mass, engine power and engine capacity of each newly registered passenger car. Member States will be responsible for collecting, storing and forwarding the relevant data. The proposal provides only for aggregating them at Community level. �