Brussels, 13/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - The car industry and environmental organisations lost no time in reacting to the adoption by the high-ranking CARS 21 group of a strategy to make the EU car industry more competitive and ensure safer, greener cars in the future (see EUROPE 9087). Car manufacturers are clearly delighted with the European Commission's ideas to improve the business environment in which they operate, but environmentalists see the strategy as being a step backwards in terms of cutting greenhouse gas emissions:
The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) says that the CARS 21 recommendations are a good start for boosting EU car industry competitiveness. It urges the European Parliament and Member States to ensure the recommendations are actually implemented. ACEA President, Bernd Pischetsrieder, said the car industry had to become profitable again.
The European Council for Motor Trades and Repairs (CECRA), an observer at the CARS 21 group's work, said it was happy with the final report and the process established to control the actual outcome, particularly welcoming the chapter on taxation. It hoped all parties at EU and national level would apply the tax recommendations, but expressed disappointment that a recommendation on providing repair outlets with technical information had not been included.
The International Federation of Automotive Aftermarket Distribution (FIGIEFA) also approves the CARS 21 recommendations, but regrets that attention focussed solely on car manufacture rather than repairs. FIGIEFA says it will be pursuing dialogue with the Commission, Parliament and Member States to ensure its interests are respected in the roadmap.
The T&E (Transport and Environment) umbrella group of 40 transport environmental organisations says that the Commission has failed to keep its promises for a clear 'green' strategy new cars. It explains that the roadmap unveiled on Monday not only does not include any new proposals for combatting the general rise in greenhouse gas emissions but it even waters down several environmental protection policies. The integrated approach recommended by CARS 21 to cut CO2 emissions passes the buck, shuffling the car industry's responsibility onto other shoulders. T&E Director Jos Dings explained that Commissioner Verheugen keeps on calling for Europe to produce the least polluting cars in the world, but the EU is further from reaching this target now than it was before the CARS 21 group was set up!