The European Commission has ended up tabling a weakened proposal for reducing carbon emissions from vans, after pressure from the Italian and German governments forced it to revise a more ambitious earlier proposal. The draft regulation which was sent out last Wednesday will require all light commercial vehicles such as vans, to lower average emissions to 175g/km from 2014 to 2016, whilst a 2020 target of 135g/km was also agreed.
 
Explaining the outcome, environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas explained that ‘If we did not agree on this compromise… we would not have a proposal at all’, calling the fact that a proposal was on the table for co-decision a success in its own right.
 
Details were also agreed on how much penalties would be for non-compliance, where similar rules were imposed as for emissions from cars legislation. Here the fine will be €5 for the first gram over the target, €15 for the second €25 for the third. For any higher excesses manufacturers will be penalised €120, higher than the €95 corresponding fine for carmakers. The reason for this, as the Commission goes on to explain, is that van manufacturers face lower compliance costs.
 
Minibuses do not come under the scope of the new legislation, with the Commission reasoning that there is insufficient knowledge about their emissions.
 
The tabling of the proposal represents the last legislative proposal of the environment Directorate General, with the new Barroso Commission beginning in the new year. Either way, with the announcement of the compromise, responsibility now shifts to the European Parliament and to Council, to ultimately decide the next phase of EU legislation on vans.