MEPs CALLING FOR ADVERTISING CONTROLS ON CARS

9.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 25th Oct 2007

Euro MPs have voted in favour of a report calling on car manufacturers to be forced to pay financial penalties if their new vehicles exceed C02 reduction targets.

Local MEP Liz Lynne said that the measures would be good for the consumer, good for the environment, and good for the future of car-making in Europe.

Some 13% of all Europe's carbon emissions stem from passenger cars with a further 6% from light commercial vehicles. Absolute volumes of CO2 continue to rise because of the growing number of cars on the roads.

The call for regulation follows the failure of European car manufacturers to meet the reductions promised in a voluntary agreement made ten years ago. Average emissions from new cars are thought at present still to be close to 160g C02/km.

The Commission originally wanted a less stringent reduction of 130g CO2/km to be made by 2012. But the Parliament has adopted a Liberal Democrat compromise proposal for a 125g target to be achieved by 2015 by technical means alone, i.e. without relying on other CO2 saving measures, such as biofuels, special tyres, or improvements in air-conditioning systems.

Ms Lynne said: "Many MEPs would like to punish the car makers for failing to reduce carbon emissions, but that's not an acceptable approach. We are where we are.

"The technology exists to bring about significant improvements. We need now to set ambitious targets but also to give the industry sufficient time to make the design changes at least possible cost."

The MEP claims that any increase in the cost of low emission vehicles will be largely offset by the savings that drivers will make from their improved fuel economy.

The report to Parliament called for tough financial penalties to be imposed on manufacturers that fail to reduce average emissions by 2015, and for the creation of a closed trading scheme to provide business decision-makers with more flexibility and to give incentives to manufacturers of low emission vehicles.

The MEPs have also backed calls for 20% of the space used to advertise new cars to be devoted to providing consumers with information about the vehicles' fuel economy and carbon emissions.

Liz Lynne added: "Car manufacturers claim they simply respond to consumer demand, but I believe they use advertising to shape consumer demand which is why it is an important part of the overall package.

"The European Parliament has sent a clear message to insist that advertisements give car buyers more details of the fuel economy and emissions performance of the vehicles on sale. The information should be upfront and bold, not buried away in the small print."

The European Commission is to make legislative proposals on reducing carbon emissions from cars early in the New Year.

ENDS