Talks between European governments on a deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have made progress but have not yet reached agreement.
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The roots of disagreements lay in different countries’ manufacturers’ ability to meet average targets.
A German government spokesman said on Friday he could not confirm that Europe’s big four auto making nations had reached an agreement on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, Reuters reported.
“I believe there has been a narrowing of differences but there is not yet a complete agreement,” Thomas Steg told a regular news conference. “I cannot confirm the report that there has been an agreement. The talks are continuing.”
On Thursday, Reuters quoted government sources in Berlin and Brussels saying the four countries had reached an agreement after Italy joined a deal between Britain, France and Germany, government sources in Rome and Berlin said.
The European Commission has proposed cutting carbon dioxide from cars by an average of 18% to 130 grams per km by 2012.
Any binding deal must be approved by the European Parliament, and three-way talks between parliament, member states and the Commission are scheduled for Nov. 24, Reuters said.
