Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament 6 Results of the review of the Community Strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles {SEC(2007) 60} {SEC(2007) 61}
Date: 2007-02-07
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU environmental policy, environmental standard, motor vehicle pollution, reduction of gas emissions, road transport

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 7.2.2007 
COM(2007) 19 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

Results of the review of the Community Strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from 
passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles 

{SEC(2007) 60} 
{SEC(2007) 61} 

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1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The EU is at the forefront of international efforts to combat climate change and must deliver 
the  reductions  in  greenhouse  gas  emissions  to  which  it  has  committed  under  the  Kyoto 
Protocol. The Commission proposed in January 20071 that "the EU pursues in the context of 
international negotiations the objective of a 30% reduction in GHG emissions by developed 
countries by 2020 (compared to 1990 levels)" and that "the EU should already now take on a 
firm independent commitment to achieve at least a 20% reduction of GHG emissions by 2020 
(compared  to  1990  levels)".  To  avoid  distortions,  and  for  the  sake  of  economic  and  social 
fairness, all sectors must contribute to the reduction effort. 

Cars  are  an  important  part  of  the  everyday  lives  of  a  large  number  of  Europeans,  and  the 
automotive industry is a significant source of employment and growth in many regions of the 
EU.  However,  car  usage  has  significant  impacts  on  climate  change,  with  about  12%  of  the 
overall  EU  emissions  of  carbon  dioxide  (CO2),  the  main  greenhouse  gas,  coming  from  the 
fuel consumed by passenger cars. Even though there have been significant improvements in 
vehicle technology – in particular in fuel efficiency which also means lower CO2 emissions - 
this has not been enough to neutralise the  effect of increased traffic and  car size. While the 
EU as a whole has reduced its emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) by just under 5% over 
the 1990-2004 period, the CO2 emissions from road transport have increased by 26%. 

The  June  2006  European  Council  therefore  unanimously  reconfirmed2  that  "in  line  with  the 
EU  strategy  on  CO2  emissions  from  light  duty  vehicles,  the  average  new  car  fleet  should 
achieve CO2 emissions of 140 g CO2/km (2008/09) and 120 g CO2/km (2012)". The European 
Parliament  called  for  "a  policy  of  strong  measures  to  reduce  emissions  from  transport, 
including  mandatory  limits  for  CO2  emissions  from  new  vehicles  in  the  order  of  80-100  g 
CO2/km  for  new  vehicles  in  the  medium  term  to  be  achieved  through  emission  trading 
between car manufacturers"3. 

In  the  October  2006  Energy  Efficiency  Action  Plan4,  the  Commission  recalled  that,  "being 
determined  to  address  energy  efficiency  and  CO2  emissions  from  cars,  it  will  if  necessary 
propose  in  2007  legislation  to  ensure  that  the  120  g  CO2/km  target  is  achieved  by  2012 
through  a  comprehensive  and  consistent  approach,  in  accordance  with  the  agreed  EU 
objective". In the January 2007 package on energy and climate, the Commission emphasised 
that "further measures to tackle CO2 emissions from cars will be outlined in the forthcoming 
Communication  in  order  to  reach  through  a  comprehensive  and  consistent  approach  the 
target  of  120  g  CO2/km  by  2012.  Options  for  further  reductions  after  2012  will  also  be 
explored". 

In the absence of effective action, the growth in emissions from passenger road transport will 
continue  in  the  years  to  come,  jeopardising  the  EU's  efforts  to  reduce  its  emissions  of 
greenhouse  gases  under  the  Kyoto  Protocol  and  beyond,  and  leaving  other  sectors  also 
sensitive to international competition bear the brunt of the effort. Conversely, getting to grips 

1 
2 
3 

4 

COM(2007) 2. 
Renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy, Council of the European Union, 8.6.2006. 
European  Parliament  resolution  on  "Winning 
(2005/2049(INI)). 
COM(2006) 545. 

the  Battle  Against  Global  Climate  Change" 

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with car emissions will contribute to fighting climate change, reduce our reliance on imported 
fuel  and  improve  air  quality  and  thus  the  health  of  European  citizens.  Fuel  efficiency 
improvements in vehicles combined with the increased use of alternative fuels, in particular 
biofuels, will be keys to achieving this. 

On the fuel side, the Commission has proposed5 the introduction of compulsory requirements 
aimed at the gradual decarbonisation of road fuels, through an amendment of the fuel quality 
directive6. Besides, it has recently reported7 on the implementation of the biofuels directive, 
and  it  will  shortly  adopt  a  proposal  to  revise  this  directive.  In  this  Communication,  the 
Commission  also  proposes  to  rely  on  the  increased  use  of  bio-fuels  as  one  element  of  the 
integrated  approach  to  reduce  CO2  from  cars.  On  the  vehicle  side,  the  Commission  has 
identified a number of measures that could contribute to the achievement of the EU objective, 
in particular stricter fuel efficiency levels for passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles as 
well  as  other  technological  improvements.  This  Communication  provides  the  basis  for 
exchanges with other European Institutions and all interested parties on implementing a next 
stage in the Community strategy to reduce CO2 emissions and improve fuel efficiency from 
light-duty vehicles with a view to reaching the EU objective of 120 g CO2/km8 by 2012. On 
the  basis  of  the  conclusions  drawn  from  these  discussions,  the  Commission  will  propose  if 
possible  in  2007  and  at  the  latest  by  mid  2008  a  legislative  framework  to  the  Council  and 
European Parliament in order to reach this objective. 

2. 

POLITICAL CONTEXT AND STATE OF PROGRESS 

2.1. 

The need for action in the road transport sector 

2.1.1.  Road transport must contribute to tackling climate change 

In  spring  2005,  the  European  Parliament  and  the  European  Council  reaffirmed  the  EU 
objective  that  global  surface  temperatures  should not  rise  by  more  than  2°C  compared  with 
pre-industrial  levels  in  order  to  prevent  dangerous  and  irreversible  anthropogenic  climate 
change. The European Council also underlined that to foster energy security of supply and a 
sustainable use of energy there was a need to enhance demand-side management and improve 
energy  efficiency,  in  particular  in  the  transport  sector9.  The  recent  review  of  the  Transport 
White  Paper10  emphasises  the  need  to  promote  a  sustainable  mobility  that  will  foster 
competitiveness  in  the  EU  while  reducing  the  environmental  impacts  of  transport,  whose 
costs are estimated at 1.1% of GDP. 

Road transport is the second largest GHG emitting sector in the EU. It remains one of the few 
sectors whose emissions keep rising, thereby jeopardising the progress made by other sectors. 
This  makes  it  harder  for  the  EU  to  meet  its  Kyoto  commitments  and  has  negative 
repercussions  on  the  competitiveness  of  certain  sectors  (e.g.  energy  intensive  industries) 

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10 

COM(2007) 18. 
Directive  98/70/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  13  October  1998  as  amended 
relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/12/EEC (OJ L 350, 
28.12.1998). 
COM(2006) 845. 
Equivalent to 4.5 l/100km for diesel cars and 5 l/100km for gasoline cars. 
Presidency conclusions of the 23/24 March 2006 European Council. 
COM(2006) 314. 

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which  are  also  sensitive  to  international  competition  than  domestic  activities  such  as  road 
transport. 

Looking only at the absolute emissions in the different sectors is not enough. The need for a 
rebalancing  of  the  efforts  taken  up  by  the  different  sectors  and  their  ability  to  reduce  CO2 
emissions must also be assessed. While at first glance action in the road transport sector can 
appear more expensive than in other sectors, several studies conclude that efficiency measures 
in  the  transport  sector  can  be  more  cost  effective  than  some  measures  in  other  sectors,  if 
measures  altering  behaviour  of  consumers  are  taken  into  account11.  Furthermore  a  wide 
ranging  notion  of  "global"  cost  effectiveness  must  be  applied,  that  accounts  notably  for 
security of energy supply, sensitivity to international competition, affordability for consumers 
and positive rebound effects such as technological leadership deriving from ambitious targets. 
As CO2 emissions and fuel consumption are closely linked, and as road transport accounts for 
26.5% of total EU energy consumption, a reduction of CO2 emissions from cars will have a 
considerable positive impact on the EU energy security. 

Road  transport  is  not  included  in  the  scope  of  the  EU  greenhouse  gas  emissions  trading 
scheme (ETS) established by Directive 2003/87/EC: this scheme is based on the principle of 
direct emissions12, which in the case of road transport would need to be applied at the level of 
individual owners and involve large administrative costs. Alternatively, an indirect approach, 
at the carmaker level, could be considered. However, inclusion at the present time would not 
allow the timely delivery of the objectives of the strategy (120 g CO2/km by 2012) since any 
adaptations to the design of the EU ETS other than inclusion of aviation could only take effect 
from  2013  onwards,  as  indicated  by  the  Commission  in  its  recent  Communication  on  the 
review  of  the  ETS13.  This  timetable  will  ensure  the  preservation  of  a  stable  regulatory 
framework for the stakeholders already involved in the market, as well as sufficient lead-time 
for legislative adjustments to the scheme. The Commission will thus explore the possibility of 
including the road transport sector for the third period allocation. 

In the light of this, action needs to be taken to ensure that road transport does not undermine, 
but contributes to the fight against climate change. 

2.1.2. 

Improvements in light-duty vehicles are necessary 

A wide range of factors influence the CO2 emissions from passenger road transport, such as 
supply  and  demand  for  cars,  individual  mobility  needs,  the  costs  of  car  ownership,  the 
availability  of  alternative  public  transport  services  etc.  The  High-Level  Group  on  the 
competitiveness  of  the  car  industry  (CARS21)14  was  convened  in  order  to  enhance  the 
dialogue  with  stakeholders  concerning  the  future  needs  and  challenges  of  the  automotive 
industry. In its December 2005 final report, the group endorsed the integrated approach and 
underlined  the  need  to  "work  towards  a  further  reduction  of  CO2  emissions  from  road 
vehicles". 

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12 
13 
14 

"Cost effectiveness of CO2 mitigation in transport - An outlook and comparison with measures in other 
sectors", CE Delft for the European Conference of Ministers of Transport, OECD, April 2006. 
Such that the recipients of allowances would be the ones actually emitting the related CO2. 
See COM(2006) 676, paragraph 3.1. 
"A Competitive Automotive Regulatory System for the 21st Century", CARS21 final report, 2006:   
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/pagesbackground/competitiveness/cars21finalreport.pdf 

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Beyond the EU, there are worldwide efforts to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from road 
vehicles.  The  United  States,  Canada,  Japan,  Korea,  China  and  Australia  already  have 
regulatory or voluntary approaches in place, some of which are now subject to a review aimed 
at delivering further progress in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions. 

2.2. 

Progress achieved so far 

The  Community  strategy  has  until  now  been  based  on  three  pillars,  as  proposed  by  the 
Commission in 199515 and subsequently supported by the Council and European Parliament16. 
This structure allowed for the comprehensive integration of measures addressing both supply 
(voluntary commitments) and demand (labelling and taxation), and was adopted after a wide 
ranging analysis of possible options to reduce CO2 from cars. 

2.2.1.  First pillar: the car industry's voluntary commitments 

The  voluntary  commitments  undertaken  by  the  European,  Japanese  and  Korean  car 
manufacturers  associations  relate  to  a  target  of  140  g  CO2/km  by  2008  or  2009.  In  view  of 
growing concerns regarding the progress made by the industry under this voluntary approach, 
the  Commission  has  repeatedly  underlined  its  readiness  to  consider  all  measures,  including 
legislative ones, to ensure that the necessary CO2 reductions are delivered.  

2.2.2. 

Second pillar: consumer information 

The  labelling  Directive17  requires  the  display  of  a  label  on  fuel  consumption  and  CO2 
emissions  on  all  new  cars,  the  publication  of  national  guides  on  the  fuel  efficiency  of  new 
cars, the display of posters at the dealerships and the inclusion of fuel efficiency information 
in  printed  promotional  literature.  The  Directive  is  considered  a  useful  tool  in  raising 
awareness  but  its  impact  has  not  been  visible18,  with  labels  of  strongly  varying  quality  in 
different Member States.  

2.2.3.  Third pillar: the promotion of fuel efficient cars via fiscal measures 

Taxation,  third  pillar  of  the  strategy,  can  significantly  contribute  to  lowering  the  costs  of 
compliance  with  efficiency  targets  but  its  level  of  implementation  so  far  has  been 
disappointing.  At  the  EU  level,  the  July  2005  proposal  from  the  Commission  for  a  Council 
Directive19 aimed inter alia at the  inclusion of a  CO2 element in  car  taxes has not  yet been 
adopted  by  the  Council.  At  the  national  level,  several  Member  States  have  adopted  fiscal 
measures to promote the purchase of cars that emit less CO2, but a significant effect of these 
measures on the EU average CO2 emissions of new cars has not been demonstrated. 

15 
16 

17 

18 

19 

COM(95) 689, Council conclusions of 25.6.1996, European Parliament resolution of 22.9.1997. 
For the annual reports on the effectiveness of the strategy, see:  
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/co2/co2_monitoring.htm 
Directive  1999/94/EC  relating  to  the  availability  of  consumer  information  on  fuel  economy  and  CO2 
emissions in respect of the marketing of new passenger cars (OJ L 12, 18.1.2000). 
"Report  on  the  effectiveness  of  the  car  fuel  efficiency  labelling  directive  1999/94/EC, and options  for 
improvement", ADAC for the European Commission, March 2005. 
COM(2005) 261. 

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2.2.4.  Learning lessons from the current strategy 

Figure 1 - EU 15 average new car fleet CO2 emissions between 1995 and 2004 

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EU15 level in 1995:
186 gCO2/km

Voluntary 
commitments: 
140 g CO2/km in 
2008/9

EU objective: 120 gCO2/km

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ACEA

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EU-15

ACEA (required)

JAMA (required)

KAMA (required)

A number of issues can be highlighted based on the experience gained in the implementation 
of the current strategy20: 

•  Emissions from the average new car sold reached 163 g CO2/km in 2004, 12.4% below the 
1995  starting  point  of  186 g CO2/km21.  Over  the  same  period,  new  cars  sold  in  the  EU 
have  become  significantly  bigger  and  more  powerful,  while  prices  increased  less  than 
inflation. 

•  Investigations on the impact of the limited measures adopted so far by Member States 
on the demand side have shown that improvements in car technology have delivered 
the bulk of the reductions. 

•  The  progress  achieved  so  far  goes  some  way  towards  the  140 g  CO2/km  target  by 
2008/2009,  but  in  the  absence  of  additional  measures,  the  EU  objective  of  120  g 
CO2/km will not be met at a 2012 horizon. As the voluntary agreement did not succeed, 
the Commission considers necessary to resort to a legislative approach and underlines that 
in  addition  to  the  proposed  legislation  urgent  action  should  also  be  taken  by  the  public 
authorities to keep the emission reductions on track, also towards 2008/2009, for instance 
through fiscal incentives and green public procurement. 

20 
21 

Preliminary data for 2005 point to limited further progress. 
EU-15. 

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3. 

THE WAY FORWARD 

In view of the numerous factors affecting road transport emissions, a package of measures is 
required. 

3.1. 

Achieving the EU objective of 120 g CO2/km 

While  this  Communication  focuses  on  CO2  reductions  through  an  integrated  approach  (fuel 
economy improvements in light-duty vehicles (passenger cars and light commercial vehicles), 
other  technological  improvements  and  use  of  bio-fuels),  it  does  not  prejudge  any  additional 
measures  that  the  Commission  may  propose  to  tackle  the  climate  change  impacts  of  road 
transport. The recently reviewed EU transport policy includes initiatives to promote a shift to 
more  sustainable  transport  modes  where  appropriate,  notably  in  urban  areas,  and  the 
establishment  of  an  EU  methodology  for  infrastructure  charging  covering  externalities  by 
2008, as a complement to the recent review of the "Eurovignette" directive22. As foreseen in 
the  recent  Thematic  Strategy  on  the  urban  environment23,  the  Commission  will  provide 
guidance on sustainable transport plans. As regards fuel taxation, EU legislation already sets 
minimum levels of fuel excise duties. 

The  Commission  has  investigated  a  number  of  measures  aimed  specifically  at  reducing 
greenhouse gas emissions from light-duty vehicles. Further to a wide stakeholder consultation 
and based on an impact assessment, a strategy addressing both supply and demand is outlined 
below, aimed at reaching the Community objective of 120 g CO2/km by 2012. 

In line with the Energy Efficiency Action Plan, the Commission's approach shall deliver full 
environmental  benefits  while  at  the  same  time  creating  economic  opportunities  by 
encouraging  innovation  in  most  environmentally  friendly  cars  and  promoting  a  competitive 
automotive  industry  providing  sustainable  jobs  in  the  Community.  It  thus  provides  the 
conditions  of  continuous  improvements  beyond  the  Community  objective  so  as  to  meet  the 
longer term needs of the EU to further reduce CO2 in the transport sector. 

The  Commission  underlines  that  fuel  efficiency  improvements  can  be  brought  about  in 
different  ways:  if  the  current  trend  towards  bigger  and  more  powerful  cars  is  pursued, 
technology  is  already  available  to  meet  the  fuel  efficiency  challenges  ahead,  but 
manufacturers  and  subsequently  consumers  will  have  to  bear  additional  production  costs. 
Alternatively, concrete (fiscal) measures may be adopted to drive consumer demand towards 
fuel efficient cars: this would foster a more sustainable car market where manufacturers can 
compete  on  grounds  of  environmental  performance  and  reduce  significantly  the  compliance 
costs  without  jeopardizing  the  improvements  in  comfort  and  safety  enjoyed  by  consumers 
over  the  past  decade.  Member  States  have  an  important  responsibility,  notably  in  their 
taxation  policy,  to  make  this  alternative  and  more  sustainable  path  a  reality  as  early  as 
possible:  the  earlier  action  is  taken,  the  easier  the  CO2  reduction  target  will  be  to  deliver. 
Taxation schemes can in addition be designed in a revenue neutral way that would overall not 
result  in  an  additional  burden  for  consumers,  but  rather  reward  buyers  of  low-emitting  cars 
and penalise the purchase of the less efficient vehicles. 

22 

23 

Directive 1999/62/EC as amended by 2006/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 
June  1999  on  the  charging  of  heavy  goods  vehicles  for  the  use  of  certain  infrastructures  (OJ  L  187, 
20.7.1999). 
COM(2005) 446. 

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3.2. 

Supply oriented measures 

The Commission will pursue its integrated approach with a view to reaching the EU objective 
of 120 g CO2/km by 2012. This can be achieved through a combination of EU and Member 
States action. The Commission will propose a legislative framework, if possible in 2007 and 
at  the  latest  by  mid  2008,  to  achieve  the  EU  objective  of  120  g  CO2/km,  focusing  on 
mandatory reductions of the emissions of CO2 to reach the objective of 130 g CO2/km for the 
average  new  car  fleet  by  means  of  improvements  in  vehicle  motor  technology,  and  a 
further  reduction  of  10 g  CO2/km,  or  equivalent  if  technically  necessary,  by  other 
technological improvements and by an increased use of biofuels, specifically: 

a) 

b) 

c) 

d) 

e) 

f) 

setting minimum efficiency requirements for air-conditioning systems; 

the compulsory fitting of accurate tyre pressure monitoring systems; 

setting maximum tyre rolling resistance limits in the EU for tyres fitted on passenger 
cars and light commercial vehicles; 

the use of gear shift indicators, taking into account the extent to which such devices 
are used by consumers in real driving conditions; 

fuel  efficiency  progress  in  light-commercial  vehicles  (vans)  with  the  objective  of 
reaching 175 g/km CO2 by 2012 and 160 g/km CO2 by 2015; 

increased use of bio fuels maximizing environmental performance. 

The  above  will  be  measurable,  monitorable,  accountable  and  non  double-counting  the 
reductions of CO2. 

The  Commission  agrees  that  the  legislative  framework  implementing  the  average  new  car 
fleet target will be designed so as to ensure competitively neutral and socially equitable and 
sustainable reduction targets which are equitable to the diversity of the European automobile 
manufacturers  and  avoid  any  unjustified  distortion  of  competition  between  automobile 
manufacturers. 

The  legislative  framework  will  be  compatible  with  the  overall  objective  of  reaching  the 
EU's  Kyoto  targets  and  will  be  based  on  a  thorough  impact  assessment.  Such  an  impact 
assessment shall address the benefits and costs of different options as compared to the actual 
situation  of  average  CO2  emissions,  taking  into  account  latest  available  technology  for 
environmental improvements in car technology. 

3.3. 

Demand/behaviour oriented measures 

Beyond the legislative framework, the Commission strategy to further reduce CO2 emissions 
should encourage additional efforts by other means of road transport (heavy duty vehicles, 
etc.), by the Member States (CO2 related taxation and other fiscal incentives, use of public 
procurement,  traffic  management,  infrastructure,  etc.)  and  by  the  consumers  (informed 
choice as a buyer, responsible driving behaviour). 

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3.3.1.  Taxation24 

Car taxation is a powerful instrument to influence the purchase decisions of consumers. Taxes 
can be differentiated to support the market introduction of fuel efficient and low CO2 emitting 
cars. This could greatly facilitate the efforts of car manufacturers to meet their obligations by 
bringing  such  vehicles  to  the  market.  The  Commission  has  made  a  proposal  for  a  Council 
Directive  on  passenger  car  taxation25  which  is  currently  before  the  Council  and  Parliament. 
The  Commission  encourages  again  Member  States  to  adopt  this  proposal  as  soon  as 
possible  and  to  adapt  their  car  taxation  policies  so  as  to  promote  the  purchase  of  fuel 
efficient  cars  throughout  the  EU  and  help  manufacturers  respect  the  upcoming  fuel 
efficiency  framework,  thus  contributing  their  share  to  reducing  the  CO2  emissions  of  cars. 
Taxes differentiated over the whole range of cars on the market, so as to gradually induce a 
switch towards relatively less emitting cars, would be an efficient way to reduce compliance 
costs for manufacturers. 

Fiscal  incentives26  would  also  be  a  powerful  way  of  encouraging  the  cleanest  light-duty 
vehicle  classes  into  the  market.  Such  incentives  should  refer  to  a  common  EU  definition 
applied across the Community, to avoid a fragmentation of the internal market, and cover all 
relevant  emissions  taking  into  account  both  air  pollution  and  greenhouse  gas  emissions 
requirements. For this purpose, a Light-duty Environmentally Enhanced Vehicle (LEEV) 
should  be  defined  as  a  vehicle  that  both  meets  the  next  stage  of  pollutant  emission  limit 
values  as  laid  down  in  the  relevant  legislation,  and  stays  below  a  certain  level  of  CO2 
emissions.  At  present,  this  level  should  be  the  Community  objective  of  120 g CO2/km.  The 
definition of a LEEV should be subject to regular reviews in order to remain focused on the 
most advanced end of the new car fleet. 

3.3.2.  Consumer information 

The Commission will adopt in 2007 an amending proposal to improve the effectiveness 
of  the  fuel  efficiency  labelling  directive  1999/94/EC.  This  proposal  will  inter  alia  aim  at 
extending the scope of the labelling scheme to light-commercial vehicles (N1), harmonising 
the  design  of  the  label  and  at  introducing  energy  efficiency  classes  in  order  to  better  raise 
consumer awareness at the time of car purchase. Attention will also be paid to the definition 
of the LEEV (see 3.3.1) and to the possibility of indicating on the label annual running costs 
and  where  appropriate  vehicle  tax  levels  as  a  function  of  CO2  emissions  and  fuel 
consumption. 

In addition to consumer information, the way in which cars are marketed may also need to be 
adapted,  so  as  to  focus  less  on  the  dynamic  performances  of  vehicles.  To  guarantee  a  level 
playing field, there is a need for coordinated action amongst the industry. Car manufacturers 
are  invited  to  sign  up  before  mid  2007  to  a  voluntary  agreement  on an  EU  wide  code  of 
good  practice  regarding  car  marketing  and  advertising  aimed  at  the  promotion  of 
sustainable consumption patterns. 

24 

25 
26 

All selective tax measures that can distort competition and affect trade between Member States would 
require prior notification to the Commission for state-aid approval. 
COM(2005) 261. 
This  kind  of  approach  has  been  well-established  to  encourage  early  market  introduction  of  cars  that 
meet future air pollutant emission standards - see e.g. Directive 98/69/EC, and the proposal for a new 
Euro 5 standard - COM(2005) 683. 

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3.3.3.  Ecodriving 

A  number  of  Member  States  already  promote  eco-driving  through  training  or  awareness 
campaigns.  The  Commission  supports  eco-driving  dissemination  through  various  projects27 
and  it  may  consider  the  inclusion  of  eco-driving  requirements  in  future  revisions  of  the 
driving  licence  Directive28.  However,  eco-driving  is  a  downstream  measure  subject  to  high 
uncertainties  regarding  its  actual  CO2  savings  potential.  Member  States  are  nonetheless 
invited  to  further  promote  eco-driving  as  a  means  to  raise  awareness  about  climate  change 
impacts of car use. 

3.4. 

Long-term vision 

Finally, with a view to analysing the possibility of setting more ambitious objectives beyond 
the current Community target of 120 g CO2/km at a later stage, research and development will 
be further promoted towards the development and demonstration of advanced CO2 reduction 
technologies.  The  European  Road  Transport  Research  Advisory  Council  (ERTRAC)  was 
established  to  mobilise  all  stakeholders,  develop  a  shared  vision,  and  ensure  timely,  co-
ordinated and efficient application of research resources to meet the continuing challenges of 
road  transport  and  European  competitiveness.  The  Commission  will  support  research 
efforts  towards  reaching  the  ERTRAC  research  target29  of  “Improvements  in  vehicle 
efficiency  [that]  will  deliver  as  much  as  a  40%  reduction  in  CO2  emissions  for  passenger 
cars for the new vehicle fleet in 2020”. This would correspond to a new car fleet average of 
95 g CO2/km. 

4. 

CONCLUSION 

The EU must reduce its dependence on imported oil,  reduce  air pollution and has a leading 
role in fighting against climate change. To meet the commitments it has taken until 2012 and 
to go beyond, it must reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors. 

With  emissions  rising  continuously  despite  technological  advances,  the  passenger  road 
transport  sector  deserves  particular  attention:  measures  are  needed  on  the  supply  side,  to 
improve regularly the performance of the transport systems and in particular the vehicles, and 
on the demand side, to encourage the shift to ever less consuming vehicles. 

Although  wider  efforts  will  be  needed  to  make  sustainable  mobility  a  reality,  the  proposed 
renewed  strategy  outlines  a  number  of  specific  actions  to  reduce  CO2  emissions  from  light-
duty vehicles. The Commission considers that it should be followed by implementation at all 
levels,  so  as  to  create  and  accelerate  a  trend  towards  new  cars  that  emit  less  on  average. 
Failure to act rapidly will outweigh quickly past efforts, and jeopardise or make more costly 
the  near  term  achievement  of  the  Community  objective  of  120 g  CO2/km  and  of  further 
progress beyond this objective.  

27 
28 
29 

See e.g. Ecodriven at http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/steer_en.htm 
Council Directive 91/439/EEC of 29 July 1991 on driving licences (OJ L 237, 24.8.1991), as amended. 
See ERTRAC Strategic Research Agenda, December 2004, available at: 
http://www.ertrac.org/publications.htm 

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Therefore the Commission will propose if possible in 2007 and at the latest by mid 2008 an 
EU  legislative  framework  to  reduce  CO2  emissions  from  light  duty  vehicles  with  a  view  to 
reaching the EU objective of 120 g CO2/km by 2012. It will be accompanied by a thorough 
impact  assessment  further  reflecting  the  extent  to  which  Member  States  can  facilitate 
compliance with mandatory targets by car manufacturers through the adoption of measures to 
address demand, notably in the field of taxation. 

In  2010,  the  Commission  will  review  the  status  of  implementation  and  the  potential  for 
further measures to move beyond the stated EU objective. 

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