Archived press release

Task force must overcome industry resistance to cleaner cars

14 November 1997

Friends of the Earth welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement today, establishing theCleaner Vehicles Task Force, whose aims include European action to encourage “greener vehicles” during Britain's Presidency of the Council of European Union [1]. However,Friends of the Earth pointed out that the motor industry is resisting key European proposals to cut the environmental impact of cars.

During the Presidency, the Government must:

. introduce EU legislation to improve the fuel efficiency of new cars, as negotiations on a voluntary agreement between the EU and the motor industry are stalling [2];
. secure Council agreement on the proposed European car recycling directive which is being resisted by the motor industry [3];
. get final agreement for tighter emission standards for new cars and fuels (to come into effect by 2000) [4].

Roger Higman, Senior Transport Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:

“The motor industry has resisted European proposals to increase fuel efficiency and promote car recycling. Mr Blair's task force must overcome such resistance if technology is to play its full part in a sustainable transport policy”.

However Friends of the Earth warned that no improvement in car design will remove the need for tough measures to reduce traffic levels on Britain's roads [5].

Roger Higman continued:

“Cleaner, more efficient cars will still cause traffic jams. Only traffic reduction and better public transport can keep Britain from gridlock. That is why we are calling on the Government to support the Road Traffic Reduction (UK Targets)Bill.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] The Prime Minister, Tony Blair today announced the establishment of a joint DETR/DTI “Cleaner Vehicles Task Force” whose aims will include focussing “on European action during Britain's Presidency of the Council of the European Union”.[DETR Press Notice 274]. Britain's Presidency begins on 5 December.

In 1996, Friends of the Earth published “We accuse the SMMT” - a dossier of quotes showing how the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has resisted moves to reduce the environmental impact of the car.

[2] On 25 June 1996, the Council of Ministers gave authority to the European Commission to negotiate an EU-wide voluntary agreement to increase the average fuel efficiency of new cars to 120 g/km by 2055 or 2010 (an improvement of about 33%). These negotiationshave been stalled for many months now (ENDS Daily 28/8/97) as the motor industry is resisting any improvements beyond 150g/km. In October, the EU Environment Commissioner, Ritt Bjerregaard, expressed her“disappointment” to the Council of Ministers over the progress made so far: “the auto industry has made a proposal for an agreement which is far away from what the Commission and Council have in mind in terms of a fuel-efficiency target” (ENDS Daily 16/10/97).

[3] The European Commission has recently published a proposed Directive on “end of life vehicles” which sets targets for the proportion of shredder waste from cars that must be recycled (by 2005 and 2015). Motor manufacturers are resisting these proposals (ENDS Daily 09/10/97).

[4] In June, the Council of Ministers agreed a Common Position on two proposed directives on the emissions from new cars and on the composition of petrol and diesel. Final agreement between the European Parliament and the Council is expected to be achieved during the UK Presidency.

[5] Friends of the Earth, with the Green Party and Plaid Cymru, is campaigning for Cynog Dafis' Road Traffic Reduction (UK Targets) Bill to be approved in the current Parliamentary session. This would require the Secretary of State for Environment,Transport and the Regions to draw up and implement a plan to ensure road traffic levels are 10% lower by 2010 than they were in 1990. The principle of the Bill has been supported by hundreds of Labour MPs.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust