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In order to achieve its objectives with regards the limitation of CO₂ emissions, the Commission is proposing monitoring of CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars registered in a given calendar year as well as information on the manufacturer, fuel type, mass, engine power and engine capacity.

In addition, the Council has reached a political agreement that will make it mandatory for the consumer to be supplied with information concerning fuel consumption and the CO₂ emissions of new cars. The customer can then use the comparable information from different manufacturers and vehicles before making a purchase decision. The aim of this is to influence consumer choice in favour of more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly cars. The following sources of information would have to be made available to customers:

• Points of sale would have to display information on fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions on

or near each new passenger car model (fuel economy label);

• a poster would provide this same information for all cars on sale at the garage or showroom;
• all promotional literature (advertising) referring to a particular model would have to include

information on fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions;

• Member States would have to ensure that a fuel economy guide is produced, in consultation

with manufacturers, at least on an annual basis and that it is available to consumers free of

charge, including from the dealers. It would provide information on the fuel consumption of all

new passenger car models on sale in that Member State, grouped by makes in alphabetical

order. The guide would have to include a prominent listing of the 10 most fuel-efficient new

car models ranked in order of increasing specific CO₂ emissions for each fuel type. It would

also include an explanation of the effects of carbon dioxide on the climate. Furthermore, it

would offer motorists advice on how to economize on fuel when driving. Dealers would be

under an obligation to make consumers aware of the guide's existence. The Community will

produce a guide at Community level, available on the Internet.

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From an emissions perspective, it is extremely important that vehicles are properly maintained. It is estimated that approximately 50% of vehicle pollution is attributable to the 10% of vehicles that are badly maintained or worn out.

Emission limitation through engine design and control

Car manufacturers are investing substantial sums in Research and Development in order to produce 'cleaner' more environmentally friendly engines. The emissions produced by SI engines are to a large extent dependent on engine design, power output and working load. By precisely controlling ignition timing and optimising the air:fuel ratio in the combustion chambers under all prevailing conditions, the emission levels encountered can be minimised before supplementary emission control systems need to be employed. The engine control module (ECM) is primarily responsible for ensuring the optimum engine operating conditions. This is achieved by constant monitoring of all variable factors using periphery sensors and utilising an internal memory map to determine the optimum ignition and fuelling characteristics to be delivered at any instance in time.

By supplementing these design and control measures through the utilisation of additional emission control equipment, pollutant levels can be maintained below the legislated maximum levels.