The European Parliament adopted by 389 votes to 239, with 41 abstentions, amendments to the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles as part of the Union's integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions from light-duty vehicles and amending Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 (recast).
The matter was referred back to the committee responsible for interinstitutional negotiations.
The main amendments to the Commission proposal adopted in plenary session concern the following points:
Objective: the proposed Regulation seeks to establish CO2 emissions performance requirements for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles in order to achieve the Union’s climate targets and to comply with its climate commitments at international level, in a manner which is consistent with the proper functioning of the internal market.
Emission reduction targets: Parliament has proposed an emission reduction target of 40% of the average of the 2021 specific emission targets for the entire European fleet of new cars and light commercial vehicles by 2030 with a benchmark of 20% by 2025.
Zero or low emission vehicles are expected to account for 35% of the market share of new car and light commercial sales by 2030, and 20% by 2025.
Additional reduction targets: the Commission shall, where appropriate, submit a legislative proposal to the European Parliament and the Council in order to set additional emissions reduction targets for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles from 1 January 2031 with a view to maintaining at least the emissions reduction trajectory achieved in the period up to 2030.
Measurement of CO2 emissions under real operating conditions: CO emission reductions should be achieved under normal vehicle operation and use. Members therefore proposed to include a strict prohibition of defeat devices in the Regulation.
Compliance with this Regulation shall be measured, from 1 January 2023, by means of a real-world CO2 emissions test. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts, at the latest two years after the date of application of this Regulation, in order to supplement this Regulation by developing the real-world CO2 emissions test using the portable emission measurement system (PEMS).
However, until that test becomes applicable, compliance with this Regulation shall be ensured by using data from the fuel consumption meters reported by manufacturers and coupled with a limit, set for each manufacturer in 2021 as a percentage difference that is not to be exceeded.
Premiums: Parliament proposed that manufacturers whose average CO2 emissions exceed these targets shall pay a premium to the EU budget, to be used, inter alia, to promote skill formation and reallocation of workers in the automotive sector in all affected Member States, in particular in the regions and the communities most affected by the transition. Members also called for support for the manufacture of Union battery and battery cell, if possible, located close to vehicle manufacturing sites.
Vehicle labelling: by 31 December 2019, the Commission shall a relevant legislative proposal in order to provide consumers with accurate, robust and comparable information on the fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and air pollutant emissions of new passenger cars placed on the market. The Commission shall also evaluate the options for introducing a fuel economy and CO2 emissions label for new light commercial vehicles, and, where appropriate, submit a relevant legislative proposal to that end.
The Commission shall develop, by means of delegated acts, a common Union methodology for the consistent data reporting, as from 2025, by manufacturers of the lifecycle CO2 emissions of all fuel types and vehicle powertrains they put on the market.
No later than 31 December 2026, the Commission shall submit a report with an analysis of the overall life-cycle emissions from new light duty vehicles in the Union.