The organisation has stressed that the European automobile industry fully supports the pathway to achieving the EU’s long-term climate goals for 2050, and is committed to continue reducing CO2 levels from its vehicles.

Ivan Hodac, secretary general of the ACEA, said: ‘En route to 2050, it is clear that further ambitious targets will need to be set. However, it is essential that any post-2020 targets are based on an independent impact assessment. They must not be purely political figures.

‘Unfortunately it seems that the European Parliament is moving in this direction.’

The association added that Europe currently has the vehicles with the highest environmental standards in the world, and is retaining this lead. It said that it will only be possible to go on in this direction if the competitiveness of the industry is safeguarded. That is why the post-2020 targets must be based on a scientific evaluation of their impact, both in environmental and economic terms.

The ACEA also said that as well as the fact that an impact assessment has not yet been conducted, there are also presently a number of legal and market uncertainties – in terms of what will be the lead technology in the long-term, the future regulatory regime, as well as the planned new test cycle and procedure.

Mr Hodac concluded: ‘To simply set political figures with no scientific basis at this stage would be to act irresponsibly. Moreover, it would ignore the pledges made to the industry in CARS 2020, the Commission’s recent action plan for a competitive and sustainable automotive industry.” These pledges included conducting a “competitiveness proofing” of all major initiatives that have a significant impact on the automotive industry.’