26 Oct 2017

New EU car emission limits must not be too ambitious - EU commissioner Oettinger

The Clean Energy Wire

European budget commissioner and member of Angela Merkel's conservative CDU party Günther Oettinger says new EU car emission limits must not be so strict they harm the industry. “Some politicians are simply too naïve on this and think that the car industry is able to fulfil any requirements,” Oettinger said at an annual car industry summit organised by business daily Handelsblatt. He added that eastern European countries like Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania could help to dampen "ideologically driven" ambitions in EU negotiations, and called for a balance between environmental and industry concerns. The EU Commission plans to present its proposals for the new CO₂ limits to take effect after 2021 in November.

For background, read the CLEW dossier The Energiewende and German carmakers.

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