Opponents to new vehicle emissions standards in the European Union are picking up additional support from the auto industry.

Germany, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel and luxury car makers BMW and Daimler, has been leading the opposition to the emissions caps on passenger vehicles. Now their efforts are being backed by French car makers Renault and PSA Peugeot Citroen, according to a report in Reuters last week. The luxury car makers have objected to the cap, saying it unfairly targets their high-end models, and Merkel has said it would harm competitiveness and cost jobs.

Reuters reported seeing a proposal that calls for a four-year phase-in of the emissions target. European Parliament and member states previously agreed to a cap of 95 grams of CO2 per km by 2020. The European Council was expected to vote it through in June, but postponed action after some last-minute lobbying by Merkel. Existing law calling for a cap of 130 grams of CO2 per km by 2015 is not expected to cause difficulty for automakers to achieve.

The phase-in plan would require only four out of every five new cars sold to meet the 95g/km standard by 2020, with a 5 percent increase in subsequent years. The sustainable development group Transport & Environment said the four-year delay would effectively result in a cap of 104g/km for 2020.

The Brussels-based group said it is clear Germany is “exerting considerable pressure on other member states to block and weaken the agreed deal,” noting that the latest proposal marks Germany's sixth attempt to weaken the emissions proposal.

 “Special pleading by Germany on behalf of the most lucrative carmakers has to be resisted, or there's a risk of undermining EU industrial policy across the board,” MEP Chris Davies of Britain told Reuters.

Although French car makers may be backing German opposition, it is not clear French lawmakers will follow suit. Just last month, French President Francois Hollande called for tougher overall emissions caps.

While EU lawmakers have agreed to an overall 20 percent reduction below 1990 levels of CO2 emissions by 2020 for jurisdictions, Hollande suggested raising the bar to a 40 percent reduction by 2030. However, Poland, which uses coal as its main energy source, is lining up against tougher limits.

Polish Deputy Prime Minister Janusz Piechocinski told the Wall Street Journal that his country would oppose the 2013 climate goals.

“There will be no permission for that on our part,” Piechocinski said. “We are willing to call for a referendum [on the issue] for the first time in Europe.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also reaffirmed the country's commitment to coal, and said the country will only invest a minimum in renewable energy.

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