The green car movement has been dealt a serious blow as regulation forcing car manufacturers to cut average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to 130g/km or face hefty fines, has been deemed ‘illegal’.
The decision has been reached by the EU Parliament Legal Affairs Committee – and there are now fears that negotiations on targets, fines and start-dates may have to start from scratch in 2009.
According to Clean Green Cars, the EU wanted a single pan-European regulation, and tried hard to squeeze it through under single market rules outlined in Article 95. However, had the EU have approached the idea using Article 175, one country could set higher CO2 limits than those in a neighbouring state.
Rather than pushing through the legislation under Article 175, the EC treaty chose to draft it under Article 95 – which prevents market distortions and meant that the whole legal basis of the regulation could be challenged.
Now, the Parliament’s Environment Committee must consider all views with a vote postponed until September 25 amid rumours of heated debates and political tensions.
A plenary vote in parliament had been scheduled for October 20 – at this point a vote will be made on the final proposals. However, it now seems likely that the issue will drag on until 2009.
