‘Clean’ fuel targets set for vehicle emissions in EU

A quarter of all new European buses, dustcarts and other public vehicles will have to run on “clean” fuels such as natural gas and biomass by 2008 under new laws proposed by the European commission to cut pollution.

It also proposed tough new standards to slash emissions from cars and vans as well as ending an exemption for sports utility vehicles. Gunter Verheugen, industry commissioner, and Jacques Barrot, transport commissioner, insisted that the proposed law would enable EU auto firms to become global leaders in green technology while remaining competitive.