Downing Street Says » EU Emissions

» Monday, January 17, 2005

EU Emissions

Asked about the Prime Minister’s role with the EU Directive concerning environmental emissions, the PMOS said there was a cost benefit analysis of the European approach being done by the Commission. That work was still ongoing, and what the Government had decided was until there were results from the cost benefit analysis, there was no real point setting targets, as it would be difficult to know whether they were achievable and what their impact on the European economy or what their impact would be. The message from it was to wait until there was enough evidence before making recommendations.

Asked if the Prime Minister was attempting to "dilute" or "downplay", the PMOS said that was not the case at all, but rather that it would be better to wait and see what the results brought instead. It was the same process that the Government went through before we set our targets, and we were trying to bring into sync all the various elements.

Asked why the Prime Minister was waiting to see if the emissions came down, the PMOS replied what was important was not a rhetorical statement, but rather a statement that people felt they could believe in and was achievable. If a target was set that no-one believed was achievable, it was a "fairly meaningless exercise".

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