Oil and car industries to collaborate with EU on research for emission reductions Car manufacturers, oil industry research organisations and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre have agreed to combine their efforts to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide in the European Union. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) recently met with the European Council ... Car manufacturers, oil industry research organisations and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre have agreed to combine their efforts to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide in the European Union. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) recently met with the European Council for Automotive research and development (EUCAR) and the Oil companies' European Organisation for the environment, health and safety (CONCAWE) to discuss the best way forward. With legislation on emissions becoming increasingly stringent to protect health and the environment, the car and oil industries are keen to find ways to clean up their trades. Now, EUCAR and CONCAWE have decided to work proactively with the JRC to reduce vehicle emissions, while supporting industrial competitiveness within the bounds of European legislation. 'The collaboration of the JRC, EUCAR and CONCAWE concentrates on technologies for reducing emissions; it includes engine technologies, types and qualities of fuels and lubricants and their interactions. The partners will develop capabilities for measuring low emissions in order to measure progress and meet the requirements of the future fleet of vehicles,' says the JRC. Technical co-operation will focus on the evaluation of the performance of alternative fuels, advanced future gasoline and diesel fuels in connection with future engines technology (including fuel cells).'All these evaluations will be compared with existing vehicle/fuel systems,' said the European Commission. The working approach will include: - identification of research projects worth undertaking in the field; - exchange of information; - stimulation research projects for joint execution; - joint efforts to foster the establishment of an open platform to promote and discuss the research activities related to the field and their results. 'As well as drawing on the expertise of other European laboratories, the tripartite agreement will make use of the engine and vehicle testing laboratory, which is to be set up by one of the JRC's eight institutes, the Institute for Advanced Materials, in Petten, the Netherlands. This facility will be the European reference laboratory for emission reduction technologies,' the Commission announced.
