STRASBOURG, France, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- An informal move to cut emissions standards for light-duty vehicles will help Europe meet its environmental objectives, a European official said.
Connie Hedegaard, the European commissioner for climate action, said she welcomed the informal agreement to set EU emission standards for light commercial vehicles.
"The agreed regulation will make vans less polluting and will contribute to our overall ambition to cut emissions from transport," she said in a statement.
The European government said it would delay full introduction of short-term emissions targets to 2017, a year later than previously agreed.
Manufacturers of light commercial vehicles, however, will have to pay penalties for going over emissions targets.
Light commercial vehicles make up about 12 percent of the market in the European Union.
The informal measure still requires approval, though it follows similar regulations regarding carbon emissions for passenger vehicles.
