Don’t ban cars from city centres

The EPP Group wants us all to breathe cleaner air. We need ambitious and realistic measures to improve air quality, not populist or drastic ones. The EPP Group will defend this line in the debate today and the vote tomorrow on the so-called Ambient Air Quality law.

"We are against banning cars from inner cities. The new rules must not lead to shutting down industry sites. Industry is currently facing a tough economic situation and stricter CO2 emission rules. Discussing measures now to shut down certain industrial plants is absolute poison", stressed Norbert Lins MEP, the EPP Group's Chief Negotiator of the law.

"Instead, the EPP Group wants to reward those who pollute less. We want incentives for individuals and investment security for companies, not bans and prohibitions", said Lins.

"Air quality has improved a lot in Europe over the last 15 years. The inclusion of shipping in EU emissions trading, for example, will ensure further improvement in air quality in the coming years. We must be ambitious and realistic, not populist or drastic", he concluded.