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

The Commission presented its communication on the implementation of the Community Strategy to Reduce CO2 Emissions from Cars: Fifth annual report on the effectiveness of the strategy (Reporting year 2003).

To recall, the Community’s strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from passenger cars and improve fuel economy aims at achieving an average specific CO2 emission figure for passenger cars newly registered in the Community of 120 g CO2/km by 2010 at the latest. The specific CO2/km value achieved in the calendar year 2003 was 164 g CO2/km, compared to 186 g CO2/km in 1995, the reference year of the Community strategy – a reduction of about 12 %. The assessments carried out under the “Major Review” and under Article 10 of Decision 1753/2000/EC show that ACEA and JAMA have, during the period 1998 to 2003, met all the obligations stated in their respective Commitments. The car industry has, in doing so, delivered a sizeable contribution to the EU’s strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to its Kyoto reduction objectives.

In order to meet the final target of the Commitments (140 g CO2/km) all three associations have to increase their efforts. Based on the Joint Reports, the Commission has no reason to believe that JAMA would not live up to its commitment. ACEA has met its interim target for 2003 in 2000 and expressed its firm determination to make the best possible efforts to live up to its CO2 Commitment, but could no longer confirm the concluding statement given in the previous reports. The Commission underlines the importance of meeting the target, which is achievable. With regard to KAMA there is a real concern. This has been emphasised to KAMA which, however, has reiterated its determination to achieve the targets to which it has committed.

While the legal transposition of Directive 1999/94 is now completed, work on its effectiveness signals significant shortcomings. It is obvious that measures have to be taken in order to strengthen this pillar, as well as the pillar on fiscal measures, if the Community target of 120 g/km is to be met in 2010.

The position papers presented by ACEA and JAMA in 2003 as the results of their respective reviews on the potential to moving further towards the Community's objective of 120 g CO2/km by 2012 signals that the associations see no possibility to achieve this target in a cost efficient manner by technical measures. The Commission will carry out its own assessment and present to Council and Parliament a proposal in the second half of 2005.

The Commission is continuing its work concerning CO2 emissions from light commercial vehicles and on CO2 emissions due to the use of mobile air conditioning.