Germany opposes stricter EU car emission limits again

Due to German and Austrian resistance to more ambitious car emission limits, the European Union has failed to reach a compromise over how sharply to curb carbon dioxide exhausts from cars and vans, reports Philip Blenkinsop for Reuters newswire. Germany has backed a EU Commission plan to cut emissions by 30 percent by 2030, but a push by several EU countries raised the target to 35 percent. The European Parliament even voted in favour of a 40 percent reduction. “One EU diplomat from a country seeking a more ambitious cut said it appeared that Austria, which holds the EU presidency and is negotiating on behalf of the other EU states, was simply waiting for assent from Germany,” according to the article.
Germany has repeatedly intervened at EU level to prevent more ambitious car emission limits to protect its powerful car industry. Its position drew condemnation from sustainable transport NGO Transport & Environment. “The second breakdown in talks within a week is the result of the Austrian presidency putting its own interests and those of the German car industry and their operations in Eastern Europe ahead of those of the whole of Europe,” Transport & Environment said in a press release. “Austria, Germany and the Commission pay lip service to climate action in [the UN climate summit in the Polish city of] Katowice, but their action back home shows where their priorities really lie.”

Read the Reuters report in English here.

Find the Transport & Environment press release in English here.

Find background in the dossier BMW, Daimler and VW vow to fight in green transport revolution.