Air pollution: reduction of CO₂ emissions from passengers cars, Community strategy

Adopting the report by Mrs GONZALEZ ALVAREZ (GUE/NGL, E), the European Parliament noted that the measures proposed by the Commission to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide from tourist vehicles and average fuel consumption were inadequate and rejected the idea of a voluntary agreement between the Community and the automobile industry. It recommended that, by 2005, the average CO2 emissions of all new motor vehicles registered in the European Union should be no more than 120 g /km, which corresponded to fuel consumption of 5 l/100 km for petrol-driven vehicles and 4.5 l/100 km for diesel-driven vehicles. The next step would be to make provision for an additional reduction in average emissions of CO2 to 90 g/km by 2010. The European Parliament emphasized the need to increase the minimum rates of excise on petrol and diesel, although it was aware that fuel prices alone were not enough to encourage consumers to buy low-consumption vehicles. In order to promote the introduction of low-consumption, environmentally-friendly vehicles, the Commission should present a proposal for a directive on the general framework of taxes on new motor vehicles or annual vehicle taxes within the European Union. In order to reduce emissions and improve safety, the European Parliament recommended better application of speed limits and considered that the maximum speed of cars should be lowered by reducing the power/weight ratio.�