MEPs gave their green light to new EU rules to reduce emissions from passenger cars, vans, buses, trucks and trailers. With 297 votes in favour, 190 against and 37 abstentions, Parliament adopted the deal reached with the Council on the Euro 7 regulation (type-approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles). The Euro 7 emission standards are a set of regulations that have been adopted by the European Union (EU) to improve the environmental performance of light-duty commercial vehicles. The new standards aim to reduce harmful emissions from these vehicles, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter.
Reducing emissions, increasing battery durability
For passenger cars and vans, the current Euro 6 test conditions and exhaust emissions limits will be maintained. Stricter limits will be applied for exhaust emissions measured in laboratories and in real driving conditions for buses and trucks. Meanwhile, the current Euro VI testing conditions will be maintained.
For the first time, EU standards will include brake particles emissions limits (PM10) for cars and vans. Additionally, there will be minimum performance requirements for battery durability in electric and hybrid cars.
Each vehicle will have an Environmental Vehicle Passport available. It will contain information on its environmental performance at the moment of registration, such as pollutant emission limits, CO2 emissions, fuel and electric energy consumption, electric range, and battery durability. Vehicle users will also have access to up-to-date information about fuel consumption, battery health, pollutant emissions. On-board systems and monitors generate this information.
Rapporteur Alexandr Vondra (ECR, CZ) said: “We have successfully struck a balance between environmental goals and the vital interests of manufacturers. We want to ensure the affordability of new smaller cars with internal combustion engines for domestic customers. At the same time, we aim to enable the automotive industry to prepare for the expected transformation of the sector. The EU will now also be addressing emissions from brakes and tyres and ensuring higher battery durability.”
Council needs to formally approve the agreement as well before it can enter into force.
Background
On 10 November 2022, the Commission proposed more stringent air pollutant emissions standards for combustion-engine vehicles, regardless of the fuel used. The current emission limits apply to cars and vans (Euro 6) and to buses, trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles (Euro VI).
In adopting this report, Parliament is responding to citizens’ expectations to promote the purchase of electric vehicles complying with good battery life standards, to advance the deployment of digital and electrical infrastructure, and to reduce EU’s energy dependency from foreign actors, as expressed in proposals 4(3), 4(6), 18(2) and 31(3) of the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe.
