The German motor industry trade association, Verband der Automoblindustrie (VDA) has once again criticised the European Commission and its plans to introduce fleet average CO2 limits.

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VDA president Matthias Wissmann said that the German automotive industry is against any policy that penalises German manufacturers.


He said that the German automotive industry has accepted the goal of average CO2 of 120g/km, but he said that it wants to determine the way that it reaches these limits itself.


The VDA has been campaigning for the limits to be introduced in 2015, rather than 2012, as currently planned by the EU. 


The European vehicle manufacturers’ association, ACEA, has said that 2015 is more realistic given the amount of planning that is needed to introduce new cars. The VDA has also been critical of a proposed structure of fines for companies that do not meet the limits, largely because German manufacturers would be more likely to miss the targets, than French or Italian automakers, which produce smaller cars.

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German chancellor Angela Merkel is backing her country’s automakers. During a visit to Ford’s Cologne plant on Tuesday, she said that it is important to take all opportunities to reduce CO2, but that targets must be realistic.


“We have a small window of opportunity in which to chose to take environmental protection measures, and we must use this.But we must also be aware of development times,” said Merkel.


Policies should not set the automotive industry unrealistic time frames, which add a lot of cost, she added.


Merkel said she is impressed by the work that is going on in the industry to develop more environmentally-friendly vehicles. She said that it is important that the car does not become ‘the bogeyman of the nation’, in the debate about climate change.


In the past Merkel has said that she believes that climate protection can go hand in hand with strengthening the automotive industry.