(14/09/06) Milieucommissie EP verzaakt moedwillig aan schonere personenwagens

• 2006-09-14

De Milieucommissie van het EP is niet ingegaan op de vraag voor schonere wagens. Nog tot minstens 2014 hoeft de autoindustrie zich niet veel zorgen te maken over het milieuvriendelijker maken van hun producten.

Deze schone technologie is nochtans aanwezig en heeft voor de autobezitters het bijkomende voordeel dat de wagens minder zullen verbruiken. De leden van de Milieucommissie gaan niet mee in dit verhaal. Ter vergelijking: zelfs in sommige VS-staten zijn de regels nu al twee keer zo streng als het Europese streefdoel voor 2014.

De uitzonderingen voor zware dieselwagens en SUV’s (terreinwagens) zijn nog meer betreurenswaardig. Ze hebben ruimte genoeg om de schone technologie in te bouwen en de bezitters ervan hebben zeker ook het geld om dat te laten doen ...

Car pollution
Parliament puts the brakes on cleaner vehicle technology

Following the adoption by the EP Environment Committee yesterday, 13 September, of a report on emissions regulations for passenger cars, Euro 5 (1) , German Green MEP Rebecca Harms said:

"The report adopted by the EP Environment Committee yesterday would stall the introduction of new cleaner technologies for passenger cars by guaranteeing the car industry practically no change in the current rules on car emissions until 2014 and more.

"The technologies to reduce NOx emissions to a fraction of the current levels are already available and, if introduced, would also lead to fuel savings. There are clear opportunities both to improve air quality and reduce the climate impact of cars. Against this background, it is particularly disappointing that the members of the Environment Committee failed to follow their own recommendations to encourage the early introduction of environmental technologies in Europe. California and some other US States require cars to be almost twice as clean next year, compared with the EU requirements that will not be introduced until end 2014 or 2015 (2) !

"A deal reached between the 3 big political groups (EPP, PSE and ALDE), which has reintroduced loopholes for big diesel cars and SUVs from the standards, is particularly opprobrious. There is no reason why SUVs should enjoy exemptions comparable to those of ambulances: these cars have plenty of space to accommodate emissions equipment and those who can afford to buy them can also afford the cost of greening their gas-guzzlers."

Meer info

(1) The report (Groote) on Euro 5, which was adopted by the Environment Committee yesterday, concerns limit values on new passenger car pollutant emissions and is one of the most important pieces of EU air quality source legislation.

(2) As of 2007 cars can only be sold in all 50 US states if they comply with 'Tier2Bin5' limits, which mean 40 mg/km. The ENVI amendment would require 70 mg/km in 2014 (or 2015 for old models).