The European Commission has invited comments on its new emissions regulations aimed at further tightening the laws that state how much pollution a vehicle can emit.

The Euro V proposal would see particulate emissions from diesel cars cut by 80 per cent and from nitrogen oxides by 20 per cent.

To achieve the new limits on emissions, diesel cars would have to be fitted with particulate filters.

In addition, the proposal states that nitrogen oxide emissions and hydrocarbons should be cut by 25 per cent.

The Commission's vice-president, Günter Verheugen, said that the proposals were "ambitious but realistic".

"The new emission limits will open the way to cleaner cars," he argued. "This is good for the health of our citizens and the environment. Industry gets a clear perspective and the time to prepare to produce clean, high quality cars without endangering its competitiveness.

Stakeholders and industry members are now being invited by the Commission to submit their comments on the proposals, which are currently only in draft form, before they are finalised.

Mr Verheugen urged: "This is the only road to future success. It is now up to stakeholders to have their say."

The move could mean an increase in the demand for platinum and pgms, with the precious metals used in catalysts to improve the emissions standards of modern day diesel cars.