The car industry is asking taxpayers to foot the bill for its irresponsibility and inaction, while continuing to churn out inefficient cars, said Greenpeace following a meeting of European politicians and leading carmakers in Brussels.

Franziska Achterberg, Greenpeace EU transport policy campaigner, said: "Car manufacturers are crying wolf and presenting inflated costs for reducing their CO2 emissions, while utterly disregarding the significant benefits of more fuel efficient cars to consumers. Instead of responding to demands from the public for cleaner cars, carmakers want to continue to milk the taxpayer and are asking for more government subsidies."

"As long as carmakers duck their responsibility to reduce CO2 emissions, any loan given to them would mean subsidising climate change. The industry should stop blocking proposals for serious emissions reductions before a handout is even considered."

"Comparing the cost of CO2 reductions between sectors that are not competing with each other is ridiculous. As usual, the car industry is distorting the facts, comparing apples with oranges to dodge their responsibilities and hoping that decision-makers and the media won't notice."

Background:

The European Commission last year put forward a proposal to cut emissions from passenger vehicles to 130g CO2/km by 2012. The European Parliament's environment committee supported the Commission's target in a vote on 25 September. The Council, under the direction of the French EU Presidency, is due to hammer out a deal with the Parliament and the Commission by the end of the year.