Europe: EC rejects OEM warnings over proposed mandatory emissions limits

Tuesday, January 30, 2007,

AutomotiveWorld.com

The European Commission has rejected a warning from Germany's automotive industry that imposing mandatory vehicular carbon dioxide emissions limits of 120g/km by 2012 and reducing emissions from new vehicles by 25% will lead to a large scale loss of jobs at European OEMs, according to Reuters.

DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen, Ford, BMW and Opel warned the EC in a letter that implementing the mandatory emissions reduction limits will force them to cut jobs or move factories to cheaper countries to offset what they maintain would be higher manufacturing costs.

But Johannes Laitenberger, a Commission spokesman, says the best way to preserve jobs is to adopt change rather than oppose it. Laitenberger, however, has refused to offer a date for adoption of the proposed emissions limit legislation which was delayed due to a lack of consensus on ways to reduce emissions.

The EU executive is divided with Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas calling on OEMs to "take responsibility" to reduce emissions and Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen arguing that traffic management and driver behaviour can be as important as new engine technology in reducing vehicle emissions.

The issue has also divided ministers of Germany's coalition government with Michael Glos, Conservative economics minister, supporting the automotive industry and Sigmar Gabriel, Social Democratic environment minister, favouring the EU plan, broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported.

Glos said, "The plans that Dimas and Gabriel are pursuing against the German automotive industry must be stopped immediately. It is a question of tens of thousands of jobs."

Andreas Troge, head of the German Environment Agency, warned that the German car industry will miss the boat on new green technologies which could jeopardise jobs. He told Hanover-based paper Neuen Presse, "If you are too late in adapting, you can threaten jobs."

Reinhard Bütikofer, chairman of the opposition Green Party, urged the national automotive industry to look at new environmental challenges as an opportunity rather than a threat. He said, "The car industry has to watch out that it does not throw away its future."

According to the European Environment Agency data, overall emissions from road transport have increased by 22% since 1990.

Published on Tuesday, January 30, 2007