‘EU leaders put their crowning glories first’

In the run-up to the official signature of an agreement between member states and the European Parliament on automobile CO2 emissions, De Morgen announces that “the climate has fallen victim to European protectionism.”

The daily points out that Angela Merkel has blocked the adoption of stricter environmental regulations to avoid “harming” the interests of German carmaker BMW, an initiative that has secured the backing of the UK in exchange for favours for the City of London. At the same time, France has given in to pressure from Renault, which in turn is being pushed by its business partner Daimler, whose main lobbyist is a former Merkel advisor.

Environmental NGOs are furious over the situation, adds De Morgen, which cites a Greenpeace transport expert —

After the near-failure of global climate talks in Warsaw, the EU is now distancing itself from its earlier promises to reduce the damage to climate caused by cars [...] The EU considers that the short-term interests of a few companies are more important than those of its citizens and the rest of the economy.