Germany wins backing of EU ministers to block car emissions law / Merkel under fire over BMW donation

The EU environment ministers agreed on the 14 October 2013 to German demands to scrap an agreement to cap EU car emissions that Berlin argued would cost jobs and damage its premium auto makers.

The deal would have limited all new cars' carbon emissions to 95 grams per kilometre from 2020 on.

Meanwhile, EUObserver reported that on the 15 October 2013 German Chancellor Angela Merkel came under fire over a €690,000 donation from the family behind BMW at a time when her government blocked the EU cap on CO2 emissions for cars.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Environment Council, Luxembourg, 14 October 2013 http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-environment-council-luxembourg-14-october-2013/

ESO: Background information: Germany proposes four-year delay to EU ‘95 grams’ car goal http://www.europeansources.info/record/germany-proposes-four-year-delay-to-eu-95-grams-car-goal/

EUObserver, 15.10.13: Germany gets its way on EU car emissions http://euobserver.com/environment/121786

EUObserver, 16.10.13: Merkel under fire over BMW donation http://euobserver.com/political/121798

Spiegel Online International, 15.10.13: Merkel's Patrons: Donation from BMW Owners Raises Eyebrows http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/cdu-gets-donation-from-bmw-owners-during-co2-talks-a-927954.html

Deutsche Welle, 17.10.13: How party donations drive German politics http://dw.de/p/1A1HX

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