After five trilogues and more than 25 hours of tough negotiations, a provisional agreement on CO2 reductions for cars and light passenger vans was reached between the European Parliament and the European Council.

A strong negotiating position held throughout by rapporteur Miriam Dalli has ensured a 37.5% target for cars in 2030, departing from a Commission proposal of 30%.

Moreover, the Parliament successfully closed a number of loopholes that would have otherwise weakened the legislation. For the first time ever, based on the Parliament’s proposal, the legislation introduces an obligation for the European Commission to monitor and report fuel consumption meter data as to prevent the CO2 gap between the real world and laboratory tests from growing. Failure to comply with the regulation will result in manufacturers facing stricter targets.

Fully embracing the concerns of trade unions, the proposed legislation directs the European Commission to assess the possibility of creating a fund to address the transition required to achieve a climate neutral economy and in particular to support workers in the car manufacturing sector.

“As Parliament, we strongly fought to safeguard the environment integrity of the proposal and bring real health, consumer and innovation benefits to European citizens,” rapporteur Miriam Dalli said.

“We achieved this deal despite the fierce opposition from the car industry and certain Member States who refused to acknowledge the opportunities that stem from a more ambitious targets.”

Dalli reiterated that the competitiveness of the automotive industry is related to its capacity to innovate.

“Now that a provisional agreement has been reached, I look forward to seeing Member States legislating in favour of cleaner and greener proposals which would ultimately benefit our health and our environment, translating into both consumer and industry benefits.”