European emissions targets announced for automobiles are “arbitrary” and “too severe”, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association declared on Wednesday.

“We ask the European Union governments and the European Parliament to design a reasonable and level-headed strategy to reducing CO2 emissions from cars towards the EU target of 120 grams of carbon-dioxide per kilometre by 2012,” Sergio Marchionne, president car maker FIAT and the Brussels based car lobby, lashed out in a statement.

Marchionne said the industry was being told to apply technology to problems of carbon-dioxide emissions that are better resolved by other means. He said jobs and economic growth were threatened by the new targets.

I call on the EU’s car industries to preserve their long term competitiveness by taking the innovative lead.

EC President, Jose Manuel Barroso

The European Commission’s announced plans today to legislate emissions targets for cars into law. Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso said it was the most ambitious approach seen worldwide toward a low-carbon economy. He suggested Europe’s clean-car standard would help sell vans and personal vehicles.

“(The legal proposals are) concrete proof of EU leadership … I call on the EU’s car industries to preserve their long term competitiveness by taking the innovative lead, in the interest of consumers and workers alike,” he said.

Marchionne suggested energy companies and the public should be better pressed for ideas, and that governments use carbon taxes and incentives for renewable energy.

The EC’s new energy policy threatens the industrial strength of Europe, Marchionne explained, adding that the euro-car industry has already helped the Continent cut emissions by 13 percent, while EC regulations have made cars “bigger and heavier”.

Of the 46 million passenger cars produced globally, 38 percent are aid to be made in Europe. ACEA represents the 13 continental car makers. Road transport generates about one fifth of Europe’s carbon-dioxide polluting, and cars make up 12 percent of the total. The transport sector, including planes and shipping, are a third of the world’s emitted carbon-dioxide dilemma.

A voluntary commitment from the car industry — car labelling, tax incentives for fuel efficiency — will have failed to cut emissions to 140g CO2/km by 2008, the EC asserts.

Meanwhile, Japanese and Korean are expected to meet the goal by 2009.

Between 1995 and 2004, emissions from new cars sold in the pre-expansion EU fell a mere 23g to 163g CO2/km.