Asian countries are adopting European emissions standards in a series of bids to reduce levels of pollution.

The Indonesian Minster of Environment has signed a decree requiring all new vehicles to have EU II standard emissions technology installed by 2005.

Some exemptions have been granted, though, in cases where new type models - which are usually changed every 5-8 years - are about to be produced.

Toyota, for example, is about to produce a new model in the country geared to leaded petrol and high sulphur diesel; this means that the company, which has 80 per cent of the car market in Indonesia, will not update to the EU II engines until around 2007.

Elsewhere the Indian government has announced a national policy on fuel with a view to reducing emissions.

A deadline of the 10th April 2010 has been set, by which time no vehicle that does not meet EU III emission standards will be banned from sale.

That deadline has been brought forward to April 2005 for 11 important cities, including New Delhi, where 72 per cent of ambient pollution is attributed to motor vehicles. In turn, they will have to meet the EU IV standard by 2010.