The European Union gave its blessing yesterday to a pledge by Japanese and Korean car makers to cut pollution gradually over the next 10years. EU environment ministers agreed that the commitment, made after months of intense negotiations, was equivalent to a voluntary scheme agreed last year by ACEA, the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers. Under the plan, Japanese and Korean car manufacturers will cut average fuel consumption to about six litres per 100 kilometres (1.3 gallons per 62 miles) by 2009, down from the current average of 7.7 litres/100km, a move which would cut the amount of carbon dioxide in exhaust fumes from 186 grams per kilometre to 140g/km.