The German car industry has finally removed the last obstacle to imposing new diesel emissions rules, after public demand and government directives heralded a new set of goals outlined by the Federation of German Car Producers (VDA).

The VDA says that every new diesel car sold in the country - Europe's biggest automotive market - will be fitted with diesel particle filters (DPFs) by 2008/2009.

VDA president Bernd Gottschalk told Business Report: "Virtually all diesel cars will be soot free by the end of the decade."

There had been some resistance to the plans, notably from Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler, on the grounds that the new changes would be costly and not market-driven.

However, following a sustained campaign from environmentalists and a gradual shift in public support towards the measures, the new emissions goals were unveiled.

A poll conducted by Forsa at the behest of the Environment Ministry recently showed that as many as two-thirds of the German public would pay more for a clean-burning engine.