EU strikes deal to delay car CO2 curbs

EU governments and the European parliament have agreed to delay the full introduction of a bloc-wide limit on carbon dioxide emissions from new cars until 2015, as part of a deal reached on Monday night.

Under the plan a new average CO2 emission limit of 130 grams per kilometre (g/km) will apply to 65 per cent of the new car fleet in 2012, rising to 75 per cent in 2013, 80 per cent in 2014 and the whole fleet from 2015.

This average limit will be shared among carmakers according to a mass-based formula devised by the European commission, which requires a greater reduction effort from makers of larger cars (EED 19/12/07).