France, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, yesterday proposed watering down plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions from cars by phasing in limits up to 2015, with lower fines for narrowly missing the target. The European Commission has called for COj cuts from cars of 18 per cent by 2012 as part of an ambitious plan to lead the world in fighting climate change, with stiff fines for non-compliance. But Paris proposed that just 60 per cent of each manufacturer's fleet should have to meet the standard in 2012, rising to full compliance in 2015. Reuters, Brussels