10 Carbon dioxide emissions from cars
and light commercial vehicles
| (28366)
6204/07
COM(07) 19
| Commission Communication on the results of the review of the Community strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles
|
| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 7 February 2007
|
| Deposited in Parliament | 14 February 2007
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| Department | Transport |
| Basis of consideration | EM of 19 March 2007
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| Previous Committee Report | None. But see footnotes.
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| To be discussed in Council | No date set
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared, but relevant to the debate recommended on the Strategic Energy Review
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Background
10.1 Because of the large (and increasing) contribution which
carbon dioxide from vehicles makes to overall emissions of greenhouse
gases, the Community has taken a number of measures to address
this issue, including voluntary agreements with European, Japanese
and Korean manufacturers aimed at reducing the level of such emissions
from new cars from 186g/km in 1995 to 140g/km by 2008-09.[17]
In addition, the European Council has endorsed a target of 120g/km
by 2012, and, in its Energy Efficiency Plan,[18]
the Commission said that it will if necessary propose in 2007
legislation to ensure that latter target is achieved — an
aim subsequently re-iterated in the Communication it put forward
in January 2007 about limiting global climate change.[19]
The current document
10.2 According to the Commission, the latest information available
(for 2004) suggests that the 140g/km target for 2008-09 is unlikely
to be met, and that additional measures, including a legislative
requirement for vehicles to meet a target of 120g/km by 2012,
are needed to complement the measures which it has already proposed
on fuel quality.[20]
Part of this reduction (to 130g/km) would be delivered by improvements
in vehicle technology, and the remaining 10g/km by a range of
other measures, notably:
- minimum efficiency standards for air-conditioning systems;
- the mandatory fitting of tyre pressure monitoring
systems;
- maximum tyre rolling resistance limits for passenger
cars and light commercial vehicles;
- the fitting of gear shift indicators;
- mandatory targets for fuel efficiency in vans
(of 175g/km by 2012 and 160g/km by 2015); and
- increased use of biofuels "maximising environmental
performance".
10.3 The Commission also suggests other potential
measures which would not form part of the 120g/km legislative
target, and which would be either subject to other EU legislation,
non-legislative measures, or pursued by individual Member States.
These include:
— Taxation
The Commission recalls its earlier proposal[21]
for a Directive which would require Member States to base registration
taxes, such as Vehicle Excise Duty, increasingly on carbon dioxide
emission levels, and it encourages Member States to adopt this
measure as soon as possible, and to adapt their taxation policies
so as to promote the purchase of fuel efficient cars. In the meantime,
it suggests that there should be a "Light-duty Environmentally
Enhanced Vehicle" for those which meet the emission standards
laid down.
— Consumer
labelling and information
The Commission says that it will put forward
in 2007 a proposal to harmonise design of the existing mandatory
fuel efficiency label across the Community, and to extend its
application to vans. It also suggests that manufacturers should
agree to a voluntary code of good-practice on marketing and advertising.
— Driver
behaviour
The Commission suggests that Member States should
be encouraged to promote fuel efficient driving ("eco driving"),
and that a requirement relating to this should be included in
future revisions of the Driving Licence Directive.[22]
— Research
towards a lower long-term emissions target
The Commission says that it will support research
towards a 40% reduction in passenger car emissions of carbon dioxide
(equivalent to 95g/km in 2020).
The Government's view
10.4 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 19 March 2007,
the Secretary of State for Transport (Douglas Alexander) points
out that the Commission has stated that the legislation will be
"compatible with" the Kyoto Protocol; be based on an
impact assessment; expect to take into account recent vehicle
technology; be "socially equitable"; and avoid distortion
in manufacturer competition, but that the Communication gives
no details as to how its aims will be achieved, or what the penalties
would be for non-compliance. He adds that the UK endorses the
Commission's intention to carry out a thorough analysis before
taking decisions on possible options, but points out that, without
concrete proposals, it is not possible at this stage to say what
the implications would be for the UK.
10.5 Nevertheless, the Minister goes on to comment
on various aspects of the Communication. He points out that the
target of 120g/km is a headline one, existing only as an
average across the whole new vehicle market, and that its consequences
would depend on how it is framed and what kind of flexibility
is available to meet it. Moreover, even without these uncertainties,
it is difficult to predict such elements as costs to consumers,
but the Government is carrying out work in this area, and intends
to produce a Regulatory Impact Assessment as more information
becomes available. In the meantime, he says that there is already
some evidence of costs and benefits, in a study carried out for
the Commission, which found that meeting the 130g/km target
would cost manufacturers around £54) per vehicle (corresponding
to an increase in the retail price of around £840).
10.6 As regards the other measures proposed, the
Minister says that:
- caution is needed over the
contribution which mandatory air-conditioning efficiency levels
can make to carbon dioxide savings, as there is not yet an agreed
standard test procedure for determining efficiency, and the impact
of air-conditioning on fuel efficiency is determined to a large
extent by driving conditions;
- although tyre inflation is a common problem,
and can substantially decrease vehicle fuel efficiency, no information
is available on the impact of mandatory fitting of tyre pressure
monitoring systems;
- a study has suggested that tyres with lower rolling
resistance could make fuel savings of around 3.5% across the Community,
but it is not known if the UK differs from other Member States,
and, without having a figure for the likely mandatory tyre
rolling resistance limits, it is difficult to know if less
resistant tyres would represent a net cost or benefit to the consumer:
also, in addition to existing legislative requirements on safety,
any such approach would need to take into account environmental
and consumer considerations, and it is necessary to establish
whether the proposal would apply to reconditioned tyres, as well
as those supplied as part of new vehicles, or as new replacement
tyres for existing vehicles;
- although changing gear appropriately can save
6% in fuel, it is not apparent whether the fitting of gear
shift indicators would be compulsory, and much would depend
upon the extent to which warning systems are actually acted upon;
and
- the Commission does not explain its rationale
for proposing further new legislation to cover biofuels,
given the existing proposal to amend the Fuel Quality Directive
and the package of other measures it has recently recommended,
and nor does it explain how it would calculate the carbon dioxide
reduction arising from increased biofuel use.
On this last point, the Minister also says that,
whilst the UK supports an increase in the use of sustainable biofuels
as an important contribution to tackling carbon dioxide emissions
from the road transport sector, it is important that the plethora
of Commission initiatives in this area are progressed in a coherent
way.
10.7 As regards the other measures mentioned in the
Communication, but on which the Commission does not intend
to legislate on directly, the Minister says:
— Taxation
The UK already sets Vehicle Excise Duty partly
according to vehicle emission levels, but the proposed Directive
would require this Duty (or similar taxes) to be based 25% on
fuel efficiency, rising to 50%, and the UK has not agreed
to this, on the grounds that domestic taxation is not a matter
for the Community.
— Consumer
labelling and marketing
Given that the step proposed on marketing and
advertising would be voluntary, there is unlikely to be any negative
impact, but the impact of any harmonisation of the fuel efficiency
label would depend on what this entailed, and, whilst the Government
is sympathetic, the label must remain accessible to those who
will actually be using it.
— Driver
behaviour
The Driving Licence Directive already contains
references to "eco-driving", in addressing test content,
and the Communication does not spell out whether it is this which
the Commission wishes to see further addressed, or the learning
process which must be undergone before the test is taken.
The latter would represent a major extension of Community competence,
and one that would need further discussion. However, the Government
has recently launched a campaign aimed at educating aspects of
driver behaviour such as correct gear-changing.
Conclusion
10.8 Although this document represents a further
move towards the introduction of a statutory requirement for vehicles
to meet an emissions target of 120g/km, it does not in itself
constitute such a proposal. Consequently, although we think it
right to draw it to the attention of the House, we are clearing
it. However, as the various steps suggested in the Communication
need to be considered alongside the range of other measures[23]
which we considered recently in the context of the Strategic Energy
Review (An energy policy for Europe),[24]
we think that this latest document — like them — is
relevant to the debate which we have recommended on that Review
(and which we understand is to take place on 24 April).
17 Other such measures include consumer information
on emissions and fuel consumption, and fiscal incentives to promote
fuel efficient cars. Back
18
(27944) 14349/06: see HC 41-ii (2006-07), para 8 (29 November
2006). Back
19
(28275) 5422/07: see HC 41-x (2006-07), para 1 (21 February 2007). Back
20
(28348) 5389/07: see HC 41-x (2006-07), para 20 (21 February 2007)
and (28351) 6145/07: see HC 41-xiv (2006-07), para 1 (14 March
2007). Back
21
(26714) 11067/05: see HC 34-vi (2005-06), para 11 (19 October
2005) and HC 34-xi (2005-06), para 8 (23 November 2005). Back
22
Council Directive 91/439/EEC. OJ No. L.237, 24.8.91, p.1. Back
23
See HC 41-x (2006-07), paras 15-20 (21 February 2007). Back
24
(28276) 5282/07: see HC 41-x (2006-07), para 2 (21 February 2007). Back
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