EU Ministers Push for Tougher Car Pollution Rules
Date: 10-Mar-06
Country: BELGIUM
The executive European Commission in December put forward its so-called "Euro 5" proposals, which would require cuts in emissions of particulate matter from diesel cars by 80 percent and nitrogen oxides (NOX) by 20 percent from current levels.
For cars that run on petrol, the proposals would require NOX emissions to go down by 20 percent and emissions of hydrocarbons to fall by 25 percent.
The proposals, which must be approved by EU member states and lawmakers, could enter into force by mid 2008, but environment ministers meeting on Thursday said more ambitious cuts should be set.
"A lot of member states have already indicated that they are keen on more ambitious steps," Austrian Environment Minister Josef Proell told a news conference after the meeting. Austria currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.
"They argued also that this enabled industry to do their planning with a greater degree of certainty."
A majority of the 25 member states favoured tightening the rules. France, Italy and the Czech Republic were against it, an official who attended the meeting said.
Particulates can cause cancer and cardio-vascular problems, while NOX is blamed for lung disease and contributing to ozone formation, environmentalists say.
The new standards would also be applicable to all cars imported into the EU. That means top producers from the United States and Asia must join European auto giants from countries like Germany and Italy in cleaning up new car emissions.
