West Midlands-based carmaker Jaguar Land Rover will escape new EU CO2 emission standards after pressure from Conservative MEPs.
MEPs today approved plans - amid Conservative opposition - that will force carmakers to slash CO2 emissions by 40 percent in 2030 from their 2021 levels.
They also set an EU-wide fleet target of 95 g CO2/km, with manufacturers being fined 95 euros for every gram of CO2 over the limit.
Carmakers will be able offset their overall target if they produce enough zero and low-emission vehicles in their fleet surpasses a benchmark set by the draft law.
However, Conservative MEPs negotiated an exemption for carmakers that sell less than 300,000 vehicles a year.
It means car companies like Jaguar Land Rover will escape paying millions in fines to EU regulators.
Conservative MEP for the West Midlands Daniel Dalton commented: “Securing an exemption from these unrealistic targets lifts an existential threat to jobs and investment at Jaguar Land Rover.”
The UK will incorporate all EU law that comes into effect before Brexit - and during any transition phase - into its own domestic legislation
The draft law on CO2 emissions for cars is set to become law across the EU on January 1st, 2020.
