§ Mr. Maloneasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about the outcome of the Council of Environment Ministers meeting on 20 March.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI led the United Kingdom delegation at this meeting at which the principal item discussed, as on 7 March, was Community action to set new limits for vehicle emissions.
After prolonged discussion, the Council finally agreed in principle to the framework for a new directive which will balance industrial and consumer factors with the need for increased environmental protection. This agreement represents a major improvement on European vehicle emission standards, and will keep open good opportunities for the export of United Kingdom manufactured motor vehicles to the Community.
Each category of vehicle will have standards approproate to that category. In industrial terms this means that expensive three-way catalytic converter technology may now be required only for large vehicles over 2,000 cc; medium cars (1,400–2,000 cc) will have standards achieveable by simple lean burn technology combined with oxidation catalysts (not three-way catalysts) or comparable cost-effective technology; and present limits for small cars (below 1,400 cc) will be tightened from 1990 as an interim stage before further emission reductions to be agreed in 1987.
6WIt was also agreed that individual member states—such as the Federal Republic of Germany—with serious environmental problems will be able to start a limited incentive scheme from July this year to encourage the voluntary purchase of cars meeting the new limits.
Precise limit values have yet to be settled. The Council decided that this work was to be completed by the end of June. The work as basis for this will go ahead in consultation with technical experts from the motor industry and elsewhere. I am very pleased that a settlement has now been reached which recognises the United Kingdom's concern to balance industrial and consumer factors with the need for increased environmental protection.
I am also pleased that the Council agreed to adopt the directive that provides for the introduction of unleaded petrol in the Community not later than 1989 or earlier if individual member states wish. The Council had agreed this directive, which is the result of a United Kingdom initiative last December, but adoption has been delayed because of the uncertainty over vehicle emissions.
The Council also reached agreement on a directive on containers of liquids for human consumption on terms satisfactory to United Kingdom interests subject to a parliamentary reserve by the United Kingdom. It would in particular avoid discrimination between different types of container systems or packaging. We would expect to implement the directive in the United Kingdom through voluntary arrangements. The measure should help to reduce the environmental impact of used containers, and save energy and raw materials.