A number of steps have been taken at the European level to reduce CO2 emissions by private vehicles and to help meet the targets set out in the Kyoto Protocol. An agreement has been reached between the European Union and the European Association of Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA) stipulating that vehicles sold in 2008 must attain average CO2 emissions of 140 grams per kilometre (25% less than the 1995 figure). As part of this process, the European directive of 13 December 1999 makes it compulsory to label new cars with details of their fuel consumptions and CO2 emissions and to publish a brochure listing these data in full. At the request of the French government, ADEME has produced a guidebook to the 3,643 types of new vehicles on the market in France, based on data supplied by UTAC* and validated by automobile manufacturers. The guidebook is a resource for consumers: they will henceforth be able to purchase a vehicle knowing not only its technical characteristics (type, tax bracket, engine power, etc.), but also how it performs in terms of energy efficiency and CO2 emissions. The brochure also lists the best-performing vehicles, classified in descending order by CO2 emissions for each fuel type (petrol, gas and diesel). The brochure will be distributed at car dealerships and other outlets, and in the near future will be supported by labelling applied directly to vehicles on sale. "Car labelling and promoting access to the relevant data is just part of a series of actions that must be taken to ensure that fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are high on consumers' minds when the time comes to buy a car", adds Patrick Coroller, head of ADEME's Transport Technologies department.

* Automobile, Motorcycle and Cycle Technical Union, France