(ANSA-AFP) - BRUSSELS, SEP 25 - EU member countries on Monday
adopted a watered-down deal on curbing car emissions, after auto
manufacturers complained stricter measures could undermine
electric vehicle investments. Led by France and Italy, the 27
nations voted for a less ambitious plan than the one put forward
by the European Commission in November 2022, eyeing preservation
of competitivity in an EU sector on which 14 million workers
rely. The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA),
the sector's main EU lobby group, cautiously welcomed the
decision for the next iteration of car emissions rules in the
EU, known as the Euro 7 standard. But groups calling for cleaner
transport rules called it a disappointment. It was "a missed
opportunity," said the Association for Emissions Control by
Catalyst, while the European Federation for Transport and
Environment called it a "greenwash".
The European Commission had sought to have Euro 7
significantly cut nitrogen oxide and fine particle emissions
from vehicles, noting that air pollution is responsible for
70,000 deaths annually in the European Union. But automakers
baulked, fearing the added costs of bringing combustion engine
vehicles into line at a time when they are spending billions on
electric car manufacturing in the face of fierce competition
from Tesla and Chinese companies. Their pressure to have the EU
lift its foot off ever tighter standards was heard by France and
Italy, which earlier this year jointly opposed strict emission
norms. Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania
and Slovakia also signed on to that position. (ANSA-AFP).
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