Brussels, 09/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 8 July, car manufacturers published an open letter to the European institutions in an effort to undo the political and legislative stranglehold on diesel and to encourage a swift renewal in the fleet of diesel-fuelled cars.
The letter from the Presidents of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), the Association for Emissions Control by Catalyst (AECC), the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) and FuelsEurope, representing the European Petroleum Refining Industry explained: “With continuing efficiency improvement, diesel will continue to be essential in meeting post-2021 targets (this imposes emissions levels on the European fleet: Ed). Political measures restricting the rollout of the new generation of diesel technology would therefore undermine existing efforts to cut CO2 emissions. Such measures make no sense from an environmental point of view”.
Whilst asserting their support for European emission standards (Euro standards 5 and 6), the co-signatories of the letter also called for the adoption of a European legislative framework that will allow for the swift renewal of the diesel-powered car fleet. They also point out that the vehicles that are less than a year-old only account for 5% of the European fleet.
One source close to the signatories explained to EUROPE that the letter made a specific reference to the political initiatives taken by certain member states and cities, which tend not to distinguish between older and newer generation vehicles. The source also referred to the French project to impose the “pastille verte” (PV) sticker system, which is awarded to less polluting vehicles and whose highest level would be unattainable by diesel vehicles.
In May 2015, Karima Delli MEP (Greens/EFA, France) proposed “the eradication of diesel by 2020” in her draft report on sustainable urban transport (see EUROPE 11323). The MEP responded to the open letter by the car manufacturers by pointing out that by subsidising diesel: “We are financing tomorrow's cancers… The car manufacturers are still using the same language. The manufacturers are not taking into account the particularly carcinogenic fine particles when they measure emissions. Moreover, these minute particles are responsible for 42,000 deaths, 50% of which are emitted by diesel engines”.
The draft report is currently subject to fierce discussions at the European Parliament by the different political groups at the Transport Committee (TRAN). The Liberals are in favour of the text but the EPP are against, according to one internal source, which is forcing the committee vote on the report to take place until after the summer break. (Pascal Hansens)