(Sir Europe – Brussels) - “Protecting the environment and consumers’ money, promoting the innovation and competitiveness of the European car industry, and creating new jobs”: these are the main goals of a proposal submitted today by the EU Commissioner for climate action, Connie Hedegaard, for reducing Co2 emissions from cars and vans. Pollution containment – that the EU Commission measures in accurate Co2 proportions per mile – is already binding for 2020 under the current legislation, “but now it needs to be implemented”. The submitted regulations, which will now be reviewed by the EU Council and by the EU Parliament, involve using “a technology that already exists”, which “is very affordable” and has positive impacts on the use of new technology and job creation – according to the EU Executive. “It is – the Danish Commissioner goes on – a win-win situation and one further step towards a competitive low-carbon economy”. Again, the EU Commission estimates an average saving – according to such recommendations – “of approximately 340 euros’ worth of fuel per car in the first year” and an estimated total of 2900 to 3800 euros through a car’s life cycle (13 years on average). Such estimate is higher for vans, at between 3300 and 4500 euros.

11/07/2012 -