Proposed CO2 Emission Targets are Arbitrary and Too Severe

Brussels (ots/PRNewswire) - The European car industry cannot agree
with the proposals made by the European Commission today on CO2
emissions from passenger cars. The proposals are unbalanced and
damaging to the European economy in terms of wealth, employment and
growth potential. The European vehicle manufacturers call on the EU
Member States and the European Parliament to take the lead in the
current debate and start a broad and fair discussion based on sound
facts and figures.

"We ask the EU governments and the European Parliament to design a
reasonable and levelheaded strategy to reducing CO2 emissions from
cars towards the EU target of 120 g CO2/km by 2012, involving efforts
from all relevant parties and including both existing and new cars on
the road", says Sergio Marchionne, President of the Brussels based
European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) and CEO of FIAT
Group. "The ideas put forward today by the European Commission focus
too much on vehicle technology, denying the fact that a broad range
of means is available to reduce CO2 emissions in a far more
cost-effective way to the benefit of equally the environment and the
economy."

The Commission has formulated arbitrary targets, not sustained by
a valid assessment of all facts and consequences involved. Putting
the burden mainly on the car industry is the most expensive and least
cost-effective method possible. It will lead to a loss of jobs and
the relocation of production outside the EU, severely affecting
several European regions. "Reality will not just go away by
denouncing it", says Marchionne. "This is not the time for an
ideological debate. The automotive sector forms the backbone of the
European manufacturing industry, with thousands of smaller companies
depending on a dozen major players. At least 12 million EU workers
and their families count on a balanced policy on CO2 emissions from
cars. The car industry does not want to be part of an experiment. If
left unchanged, the Commission proposal would erode the economic
strength of Europe."

The European automobile manufacturers are fully ready to engage in
a constructive dialogue with EU legislators about making further
progress in reducing CO2 emissions. The industry shares public
concern about global warming and is contributing conscientiously to
tackling this global problem. Following the 1998 agreement to
decrease CO2 emissions from passenger cars, continuous improvements
in vehicle technology have resulted in an important 13% CO2 emission
reduction and helped significantly to the EU strategy to meet its
Kyoto goals. This achievement has been made in spite of a trend
towards consumer demand for larger cars and despite EU regulations,
which have made cars heavier. The car industry demands a full
evaluation of the current agreement as stipulated in the 1998
Commitment. Any future measures or policies cannot be designed
without a transparent and thorough assessment of their impact on both
the environment and the European economy.

Further progress in reducing CO2 emissions from passenger cars can
and should be made through an integrated, cost-effective approach,
combining on-going technological innovations from the car industry
with the efforts from policy makers, consumers and the fuel industry.
This will result in cost-effective CO2 reductions, safeguarding
employment and the competitiveness of the European automotive
industry. An important element of such an Integrated Approach is a
harmonised effort to increase demand for fuel-efficiency through
CO2-related taxation of cars and of alternative fuels.

The Commission's communication on CARS 21, which has separately
been published today, does not fully incorporate the recommendations
of the High-level Group CARS 21 of December 2005. This group, which
included the Commissioners Dimas, Verheugen and Barrot, six national
Ministers, five car industry CEOs, MEPs and representatives of
consumer groups, explicitly called for "better regulation" and
following an Integrated Approach to important policy fields such as
road safety and CO2 emissions. CARS 21 dealt with balancing economic
and environmental issues in a cost-effective and sustainable way. "It
was an example of coherent and responsible industrial policy", says
Marchionne. "We ask EU legislators to cherish the positive
contributions of CARS 21."

Traffic of passenger cars accounts for 11% of CO2 emissions in the
EU. Globally, passenger car traffic emits 5% of all man made CO2. The
European share of this is 1,5%, thanks to advanced European
technology.

ACEA represents the thirteen major European vehicle manufacturers.
At the heart of the European industry, the automotive sector is the
leading employer in manufacturing in the EU. The car industry
provides increasingly high-skilled jobs to 2 million Europeans and
indirectly supports another 10 million employees in related
industries. Europe is the world's largest vehicle producer. Of the 46
million passenger cars produced globally, 38% are manufactured in the
EU. The ACEA members yearly invest 5% of turnover (EUR 20 billion) in
R&D. Members are: BMW Group, DAF Trucks, DaimlerChrysler, FIAT, Ford
of Europe, General Motors Europe, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge, Porsche, PSA
Peugeot Citroën, Renault, Scania, Volkswagen and Volvo.

ots Originaltext: ACEA
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For further information, please contact Sigrid de Vries, Director
Communications, ACEA +32-2-738-73 45 or sv@acea.be. Please also visit
www.acea.be