What's the news?
The European Union has finally rubber-stamped an agreement to compel car makers to achieve an average emissions level of 95g/km across their ranges. The new rules are due to come into force in 2020 for most cars, with all cars being covered by 2021.
When the new legislation comes into force in 2020, it need only cover 95 per cent of a car maker's range, giving companies a year's grace to replace or discontinue any especially high emissions vehicles. That final five per cent must be covered by 2021.
It's a significant cut in overall emissions from the average level of 130g/km, which will come into legislative force next year, but it's an agreement that has already been criticised by campaigners for being too lax.
"This one year delay to the car emissions law was an unnecessary weakening to please luxury German carmakers. Nevertheless, the final agreement is still a good deal for the environment, EU economy and drivers - reducing fuel use and CO2 emissions by 27 per cent over six years," said Greg Archer, clean vehicles manager at Brussels-based lobby group Transport & Environment.
Transport & Environment has also calculated that the average EU car buyer will be €775 worse off in terms of their fuel bills because the legislation did not go as far as had originally been proposed.
Anything else?
The law has also been criticised because it allows car makers to count electric or other zero-emissions vehicles as extra against higher emissions models. This week the Green Party members of the European Parliament also raised the issue of car loans to governments of member states. Both Audi and BMW supplied cars to several EU governments for duties as part of their EU presidency terms and the Irish Government was amongst those criticised for accepting cars from German car makers at a time when the Berlin government was leading the calls to block or water down the legislation.