Brussels, 24 Sept. (AKI) - The European Commission on Thursday rejected a proposal by Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to renegotiate the European Union's proposed limits on carbon emissions. "The national cap limits were adopted with procedure based on European legislation and are no longer negotiable," Barbara Hellferich, EC executive spokeswoman told journalists.

"The ceilings have been established already," said Hellferich.

The European Commission has extensive powers over antitrust policy, trade, agriculture and other areas.

Berlusconi sent a letter to the commission's president Jose Manuel Barroso last week asking it to renegotiate the caps for the period 2008-2012, which according to him will make industry uncompetitive.