Brussels, 04/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Once again, member states' permanent representatives at the COREPER meeting on Friday 4 October were unable to vote to endorse a political agreement reached in three-way talks in June on CO2 emission reduction targets for new cars and vans for 2020 (95 grammes/km for cars, 147 g/km for light utility vehicles), and for the third time in a row, Germany is responsible (see EUROPE 10935).
After a COREPER meeting where only the permanent representatives were present, the Lithuanian Presidency said that the qualified majority needed to formally endorse the agreement on the two regulations on carbon emissions was not achieved and the matter will now be sent to the 14 October Environment Council in Luxembourg. A few days ahead of Friday's COREPER meeting, the German delegation submitted to the Competitiveness Council a document asking for a four year delay in introducing the new targets for vans (see EUROPE 10932).
The Transport & Environment NGO said it was totally inexcusable and undemocratic of Germany to block a decision for as long as it takes to be able to veto it. (AN/transl.fl)