Brussels - In Summer 2009, Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE) and a coalition of national partners initiated a study to look into the degree to which member states were complying with Directive 1999/94/EC. The Directive outlines the requirements of carmakers to inform consumers about the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data for new cars sold on the European market, but is also meant to enable consumers to make informed choices with the aim of shifting the market towards more fuel-efficient vehicles, thereby reducing emissions from passenger cars.
The study was conducted in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Car adverts from newspapers and magazines were analysed to examine how car fuel efficiency information is presented to consumers. The report, A case for change, makes recommendations to authorities at both the European and Member State level, outlining improvements for implementing the current Directive, as well as revisions needed in order to achieve the goal of real change in the car market.
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