Leaders from the European automotive industry have united with German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to call for a swift decision on new emissions limits.

Senior representatives from across the industry joined forces with the chancellor to call for the limits to be set by the end of the year.

"The chancellor and ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association) are agreed in the goal of the rapid development of the Euro V norm. The European Commission will be urged to propose appropriate guidelines together with industry by December 31, 2004," the German government said in a statement.

According to Reuters, Mr Schroeder met representatives of ACEA earlier this week, with ACEA president and Volkswagen chief Bernd Pischetsrieder and Ford of Europe CEO Lewis Booth in attendance, as well as Leif Ostling, head of Swedish truckmaker Scania.

Mr Schroeder said he would seek to secure an agreement with European legislators to encourage the early adoption of the new Euro V standards from the start of next year, although he warned that Germany's 16 federal states would determine the details of such promotion.

ACEA head Pischetsrieder said Schroeder's input had proved helpful, declaring: "We strongly support his proposal to bundle the issues related to competitiveness up to a vice president of the new Commission as well as to improve the responsibility of the Competitiveness Council."

Euro V is expected to come into effect in 2010, but some manufacturers are likely to meet the more stringent emissions standards before that deadline.