According to a report in the Times this morning, the EU Commission is planning to force polluting cars off the road by implement strict rules about carbon emmission levels. Besides this being a classic peice of fiddling with free markets there is, I think, something else going on.
If you look at the article you will see the all the "good" cars are European. What's more, three of the top four are French. I can't imagine where the EU Commisonar on Transport, Jacques Barot comes from. Notice that the vast majority of "bad" cars are not European?
Let's be honest, this is blatent protectionism by the back door. It may be being carried out under the guise of the Environment, but it;s pretty clear it's designed to target non-european car manufacturer. I wonder if Gordon will fight against these luddites?
2 comments:
God, I really hope he does.
Although, I have been naively optimistic about what stance the government would take on other issues.
Our manufacturing industry seems to be in decline and we really can't afford to have this one go a head without a fight.
It just goes back to same old question we keep bouncing around - are we a better country for being so deeply involved in the EU?
I fear that we will be dropping our strides once again on this one.
Interesting. I actually agree with what the EU are proposing - although I believe the EU to be an appalling institution.
Faced with taxes being raised against the users of cars, or manufacturers being told to clean up their cars for the good of the environment, I will go for the latter every time. Taxing car users to save the environment will not achieve its objectives. Giving the users cleaner cars to drive in the first place will.
In any case, the manufacturer's were the ones who agreed to this voluntary arrangement and did nothing to achieve the reduction in CO2 emissions!
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