MILAN, March 4 (Reuters) - Automaker Stellantis

said on Tuesday it welcomed the European Commission's

announcement that it would propose a softening of the bloc's

carbon emission targets for cars.

The Commission, the European Union executive body, yielded

to pressure from European automakers by announcing on Monday it

would give them three years, rather than only one, to meet new

CO2 emission targets for their cars and vans.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said

after meeting auto sector executives, unions and campaign groups

that she would propose compliance based on each automaker's

average emissions over the period 2025-2027, rather than in 2025

alone.

"Stellantis ( STLA ) welcomes the announcements made yesterday by

Commission President von der Leyen," Europe's second largest

automaker said in a statement. Stellantis ( STLA ) Chairman John Elkann

attended the talks in Brussels on Monday, the company said.

Stellantis ( STLA ) said the extended compliance period on carbon

emission targets was a "meaningful step in the right direction"

to preserve the auto industry's competitiveness, while remaining

committed to targets and electrification.

"This initiative, together with further support to

targeted purchase and fiscal incentives, cheaper green energy

and investment into charging infrastructure, can be a real

accelerator in the ramp up towards electrification," it said.