The European Parliament adopted by 559 votes to 98, with 60 abstentions, a legislative resolution amending the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars as part of the Community's integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions from light-duty vehicles.
The report had been tabled for consideration in plenary by Guido SACCONI (PES, IT), on behalf of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
The amendments – adopted in first reading under the codecision procedure – are the result of a compromise between Parliament and Council. The main elements of the compromise are as follows:
Objectives: the compromise supports the objective proposed by the Commission of an average level of emissions of 120g CO2/km for the entire car industry by 2012. The Regulation sets the average CO2 emissions for new passenger cars at 130 g CO2/km by means of improvement in vehicle motor technology and innovative technologies. It will be complemented by additional measures corresponding to 10 g CO2 /km as part of the Community's integrated approach. The compromise introduces a target, for the new car fleet, of average emissions of 95 g CO2 /km from 2020.
Specific emissions targets: the compromise stipulates that the average specific emissions of CO2 shall be determined using the following proportions of new passenger cars registered in the relevant year:
Supercredits: when calculating the average specific CO2 emissions, each new passenger car with specific CO2 emissions of less than 50g CO2/km, shall count as:
Specific emission target for alternative fuel vehicles: for the purpose of determining compliance by individual manufacturers of passengers cars with the specific emissions target, the CO2 emissions as stated in the certificate of conformity for each vehicle designed to be capable of running on a mixture of petrol with 85% ethanol ("E85") and registered in the European Union, shall be reduced until 31 December 2015 by 5% in recognition of the greater technological and emissions reduction capability of running on biofuels. This reduction shall apply only where at least 30% of the filling stations in the Member State in which the vehicle is registered provide this type of alternative fuel complying with the sustainability criteria for biofuels set out in Community legislation.
Monitoring and reporting of average emissions: information shall be made available to the manufacturers and their designated importers or representatives in each Member State. Member States shall make every effort to ensure that reporting bodies operate in a transparent manner. Each Member State shall ensure that the specific emissions of CO2 of passenger cars which are not type-approved in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 are measured and recorded in the certificate of conformity.
Member States shall designate a competent authority for the collection and communication of the monitoring data and shall inform the Commission of the competent authority designated no later than 6 months after the entry into force of the Regulation. The Commission shall subsequently inform the European Parliament and the Council.
For each calendar year in which Article 6 (specific emission target for alternative fuel vehicles) applies, Member States shall provide information to the Commission regarding the share of filling stations and the sustainability criteria of the E85 fuel.
Excess Emissions Premium: in respect of each calendar year from 2012 onwards for which a manufacturer's average specific emissions of CO2 exceed its specific emissions target in that year, the Commission shall impose an excess emissions premium on the manufacturer. The compromise specifies the formula for calculating the premium between 2012 and 2018, where average specific emissions of CO2 exceed the specific emissions target: (i) by more than 3g CO2 /km; (ii) by more than 2g CO2 /km but no more than 3g CO2 /km; (iii) by more than 1 but no more than 2g CO2 /km; (iv) by no more than 1g CO2 /km.
From 2019, the formula for calculating the premium shall be as follows: (excess emissions x 95 €/g CO2 /km) x number of new passenger cars.
Derogations for certain manufacturers: an application for a derogation from the specific emissions target may be made by a manufacturer which: (a) is responsible for less than 10 000 new passenger cars registered in the Community per calendar year; and (b) is not part of a group of connected manufacturers, or has connected undertakings, and these in total are responsible for less than 10 000 new passenger cars registered in the Community per calendar year; or (c) is part of a group of connected manufacturers but operates its own production facilities and design centre.
An application for a derogation from the specific emissions target may be made by a manufacturer which is responsible, together with all of its connected undertakings, for between 10 000 and 300 000 passenger cars registered in the European Union annually.
Eco-innovation: upon application by a supplier or a manufacturer, CO2 savings achieved through the use of innovative technologies shall be considered. The total contribution of those technologies can be up to 7g CO2 reduction of each manufacturers average specific emissions target.
The Commission shall adopt by 2010 detailed provisions for a procedure to approve such innovative technologies. These innovative technologies shall: (a) be accountable; (b) make a verified contribution to CO2 reduction; (c) not be covered by the standard test cycle CO2 measurement or by mandatory provisions due to complementary additional measures complying to 10g CO2 /km referred to in the Regulation.
A manufacturer or a supplier which wishes a measure to be approved as an innovative technology shall submit a report, including a verification report undertaken by an independent and certified body, to the Commission.
Review and report: the European Commission shall:
On the basis of such a review and its impact assessment, including an overall assessment of the impact on the car industry and its dependent industries, in a way that is as neutral as possible from the point of view of competition, and which is socially equitable and sustainable, the Commission shall, as appropriate, make a proposal to amend this Regulation.