Abstract
In this chapter, I analyse lobbying on the directive on the reduction of CO2 emissions from vans, which was a lobbying success for the car industry. The chapter shows that the car industry was influential because they stood united and faced little opposition. The conclusions cast doubt on the European Parliament’s (EP’s) reputation as an environmental champion by demonstrating that the EP has become an environmental pragmatist. The move from environmental “trailblazer” to pragmatist is partly a result of the increased cooperation between the EP’s committees as well as cooperation between the EP and the Council. The norms and working procedures of the ordinary legislative procedure have put a lid on the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety’s environmental ambition.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Bibliography
ACEA. (2009). Auto industry pushes hard to reduce CO 2 emissions and needs supportive real realistic legislative framework to succeed. Retrieved April 20, 2012, from http://www.acea.be/index.php/news/news_detail/auto_industry_pushes_hard_to_reduce_co2_emissions_and_needs_supportive_real
Bilefsky, D. (2007). Europe Compromises with automakers on carbon limits. The New York Times. February 7, 2012, Retrieved August 26, 2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/business/worldbusiness/07carbon.html?pagewanted=print
Burns, C. (2005). The European Parliament: The EU’s environmental champion? In A. G. Jordan (Ed.), Environmental policy in the European Union. Actors, institutions & processes (2nd ed.). London: Earthscan. Ch. 8.
Burns, C., & Carter, N. (2010). Is co-decision good for the environment? An analysis of the European Parliament’s green credentials. Political Studies, 58(1), 123–142.
Conservatives in the European Parliament. (2010). Lobbying contact reports. Retrieved June 8, 2012, from http://www.conservativeeurope.com/MEP-expenses-code.aspx
Council of the European Union. (2009). Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 of 24 September 2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing.
Council of the European Union. (2011). Position of the Council at first reading with a view to the adoption of a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the provision of food information to consumers.Earnshaw, D. and Judge, D. (2006). No simple dichotomies: lobbyists and the European parliament. Journal of Legislative Studies, 8(4), 61-79.
Earnshaw, D., & Judge, D. (2006). No simple dichotomies: Lobbyists and the European parliament. Journal of Legislative Studies, 8(4), 61–79.
EurActiv. (2010c). MEPs let van makers off lightly from CO 2 cuts. September 29, 2010, Retrieved December 5, 2015, from http://www.euractiv.com/transport/meps-let-van-manufacturers-lightly-co2-cuts-news-498231
European Commission. (2008b). Concept paper for the proposal to reduce CO 2 emissions from light duty vehicles. Retrieved April 25, 2012, from http://ec.europa.eu/clima/events/0020/index_en.htm
European Commission. (2009). Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council setting emission performance standards for new light commercial vehicles as part of the community’s integrated approach to reduce CO 2 emissions from light-duty vehicles. COM (2009) 593 final.
European Parliament. (2010a). Committee amendments to the draft report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the council setting emission performance standards for new light commercial vehicles as part of the community’s integrated approach to reduce CO 2 emissions from light-duty vehicles (COM(2009)0593 – C7-0271/2009 – 2009/0173(COD).
European Parliament. (2010b). Committee report tabled for plenary: Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the council setting emission performance standards for new light commercial vehicles as part of the community’s integrated approach to reduce CO 2 emissions from light-duty vehicles (COM(2009)0593 – C7-0271/2009 – 2009/0173(COD).
European Parliament. (2010d). Draft report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council setting emission performance standards for new light commercial vehicles as part of the community’s integrated approach to reduce CO 2 emissions from light-duty vehicles (COM(2009)0593 – C7-0271/2009 –2009/0173(COD).
European Parliament. (2011d). Plenary debate – 15 February 2011 – Vans regulation. Retrieved June 12, 2011, from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5822152
Hall, R. L., & Deardoff, A. (2006). Lobbying as legislative subsidy. American Political Science Review, 100(1), 69–84.
Héritier, A. (1999). Policy-making and diversity in Europe. Escaping deadlock. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Judge, D. (1992). Predestines to save the earth’: The environment committee of the European Parliament. Environmental Politics, 1(4), 186–212.
Olson, M. (1965). The logic of collective action: Public goods and the theory of groups. Boston: Harvard University Press.
Pedler, R. (2002). Clean air and car emissions: What industries and issue groups can and can’t achieve. In R. Pedler (Ed.), European Union lobbying: Changes in the arena (pp. 104–122). Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Ringe, N. (2010). Who decides, and how?: Preferences, uncertainty, and policy choice in the European Parliament. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Scharpf, F. J. W. (1997). Games real actors play: Actor-centered institutionalism in policy research. Boulder: Westview Press.
Shackleton, M. (2000). The politics of codecision. Journal of Common Market Studies, 38(2), 325–342.
Smith, M. P. (2008). All access points are created equal: Explaining the fate of diffuse interests in the EU. British Journal of Politics & International Relations, 10(1), 64–83.
T&E. (2010a). Vans and CO 2 . Retrieved December 4, 2015, from http://www.transportenvironment.org/publications/vans-and-co2
T&E. (2010b). Vans and CO 2 analysis of automotive industry arguments. Retrieved December 4, 2015, from http://www.transportenvironment.org/sites/default/files/media/2010%2001%20analysis%20of%20industry%20position%20vans%20co2.pdf
ten Brink, P. (2010). Mitigating CO2 emissions from cars in the EU. In S. Oberthur & M. Pallemaerts (Eds.), The new climate policies of the European Union: Internal legislation and climate diplomacy (pp. 179–210). Brussels: VUBPRESS Brussels University Press.
Warleigh, A. (2000). The hustle: Citizenship practice, NGOs and ‘policy coalitions’ in the European Union – the cases of auto oil, drinking water and unit pricing. Journal of European Public Policy, 7(2), 229–243.
Weale, A., Pridham, G., Cini, M., Konstadakopulos, D., Porter, M., & Flynn, B. (2000). Environmental governance in Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Wurzel, R. K. W. (2002). Environmental policy-making in Britain, Germany and the European Union. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Wurzel, R. K. W. (2012). Environmental policy: From environmental disunion towards Environmental Union. In J. Hayward & R. K. W. Wurzel (Eds.), European disunion: The multidimensional power struggles. Palgrave Studies in European Politics. Ch. 14.
Wurzel, R. K. W., & Connelly, J. (2011). The European Union as a leader in international climate change politics. London: Routledge.
Zito, A. R. (2000). Creating environmental policy in the European Union. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dionigi, M.K. (2017). Regulating CO2 Emissions for Vans: Is the European Parliament Still a Defender of Environmental Interests?. In: Lobbying in the European Parliament. Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42688-4_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42688-4_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-42687-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-42688-4
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)