Background Cars are responsible for 12% of Europe’s total CO2 emissions and are the single largest source of emissions in the transport sector. Differences between fuel consumption and subsequent CO2 emissions figures in laboratory tests and real-world driving conditions are a matter of significant public concern. The gap between official and real-world driving CO2 emissions increased from 8% in 2001 to 40% in 2014. The difference between lab tests and real world performance undermines the environmental steering effect of the European CO2 standards for cars. The new worldwide harmonised “Light vehicles Test Procedure” (WLTP) will help address this issue, but further measures are needed. Objectives The LIFE - Close the Gap project aims to solve one of Europe’s major environmental challenges in road transport – the gap between official and real-world driving CO2 emissions/fuel consumption figures. The project will focus on emerging issues under the WLTP and will develop and advocate solutions in order to ensure that the gap does not widen. The objectives are two-fold: Firstly, to empower political decision makers at European and national level to improve the legislation on CO2 emissions from vehicles and its implementation by: Evaluating the new WLTP and identifying loopholes; Sharing best practices and developing solutions for a better testing framework at European level and better consumer information (e.g. European Type Approval Authority, use of PEMS); and Supporting Member States to strengthen the implementation of CO2 targets by transferring best practices in the field of market surveillance and vehicle taxation to the WLTP. Secondly, to empower Europe's consumers to make informed purchase decisions and take action against the "undisclosed" real world figures by: Making car owners, fleet operators and the media aware of the growing gap; Initiating a public discussion on the problem in a bid to motivate decision makers into finding solutions; and Providing consumers with legal advice and real world consumption data. The project expects to achieve the following results: Set up emission and fuel consumption tests to evaluate the new procedure, increase its positive impact and contribute to more transparent and realistic data; Provide consumers and policymakers with background information to inform and empower them to act; Organise expert conferences in Brussels and Germany to take up the results of the testing and propose solutions to emerging WLTP issues; Conduct a legal study on consumer rights to transfer best practices in governance and to motivate the replication of the initiative; and Carry out networking at EU level to include a broad network of NGOs and decision-makers in other Member States, the European Commission, European Parliament and relevant LIFE projects.