A political alliance has been forged by the French, German and Italian governments to push the European Commission into delaying planned reductions of CO2 emissions from light vans.

While the trio accepts proposals to cut emissions from new vans by 14% to 175g/km, they want a planned deadline pushed back from July 2013 to 2017.

In a joint letter to Brussels, the three governments also asked the Commission to reconsider proposals to set a 135g target for 2020 as being “unrealistic” for vans.

This coalition could assemble a blocking minority in the Council of Ministers, making it likely that the Commission will listen.