(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-19 23:50

BRUSSELS -- The European Commission on Wednesday proposed rules to reduce the average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new passenger cars to 120 grams per kilometer by 2012.

The average CO2 emissions from new passenger cars sold in the EU are around 160 grams per kilometer.

The proposal is a major step toward lowering the overall CO2 emissions of cars in the European Union (EU), the bloc's executive body said.

"This proposal demonstrates that the European Union is committed to being a world leader in cutting CO2 emissions and the development of a low carbon economy," European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said.

"At the same time, we are committed to promoting the competitiveness of our industry and its global technological leadership," Barroso added.

Passenger cars currently account for about 12 percent of the EU's overall CO2 emissions.