EU ministers struggle over car emission rules

There's an enormous conflict there, for example, between the German car industry and the French and Italian (industries)," said German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency through the end of June.

Gabriel has said that if the same figure were required of each carmaker's fleet, it could push companies to make acquisitions just to bring down the average emission levels of their fleets. The European Commission will prepare draft legislation on the subject by the end of this year or early 2008.

From Reuters

“There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.” W.S.