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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Brussels, 7.2.2007
COM(2007) 19 final
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Results of the review of the Community Strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from
passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles
{SEC(2007) 60}
{SEC(2007) 61}
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1.
INTRODUCTION
The EU is at the forefront of international efforts to combat climate change and must deliver
the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to which it has committed under the Kyoto
Protocol. The Commission proposed in January 20071 that "the EU pursues in the context of
international negotiations the objective of a 30% reduction in GHG emissions by developed
countries by 2020 (compared to 1990 levels)" and that "the EU should already now take on a
firm independent commitment to achieve at least a 20% reduction of GHG emissions by 2020
(compared to 1990 levels)". To avoid distortions, and for the sake of economic and social
fairness, all sectors must contribute to the reduction effort.
Cars are an important part of the everyday lives of a large number of Europeans, and the
automotive industry is a significant source of employment and growth in many regions of the
EU. However, car usage has significant impacts on climate change, with about 12% of the
overall EU emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main greenhouse gas, coming from the
fuel consumed by passenger cars. Even though there have been significant improvements in
vehicle technology – in particular in fuel efficiency which also means lower CO2 emissions -
this has not been enough to neutralise the effect of increased traffic and car size. While the
EU as a whole has reduced its emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) by just under 5% over
the 1990-2004 period, the CO2 emissions from road transport have increased by 26%.
The June 2006 European Council therefore unanimously reconfirmed2 that "in line with the
EU strategy on CO2 emissions from light duty vehicles, the average new car fle