Euro 7: MEPs support new rules to cut down pollutant emissions

Cleaner road vehicles and improved air quality

Lower emissions limits for buses and heavy-duty vehicles

Measures to reduce emissions from tyres and brakes, in line with international standards

MEPs are ready to start talks with EU governments on new rules to reduce road transport emissions for passenger cars, vans, buses and trucks.

On Thursday, Parliament adopted its negotiating position on revamping EU rules for type-approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles (Euro 7) with 329 votes in favour, 230 against and 41 abstentions. The new regulation will update current limits for exhaust emissions (such as nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and ammonia), and will introduce new measures to reduce emissions from tyres and brakes, and increase battery durability.

MEPs agree with the levels proposed by the Commission for pollutant emissions for passenger cars and propose an additional breakdown of emissions into three categories for light commercial vehicles based on their weight. They also propose stricter limits on exhaust emissions measured in laboratory and in real driving conditions for buses and heavy-duty vehicles. Parliament also wants to align the EU’s calculation methodologies and limits for brake particle emissions and tyre abrasion rates with international standards currently being developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

Quote

Rapporteur Alexandr Vondra (ECR, CZ) said: “We have successfully struck a balance between environmental goals and the vital interests of manufacturers. It would be counterproductive to implement environmental policies that harm both Europe’s industry and its citizens. Through our compromise, we serve the interests of all parties involved and steer clear of extreme positions.”

Press conference

Rapporteur Alexandr Vondra will brief journalists after the vote on Thursday, 9 November, at 13.30 CET, in the Anna Politkovskaya press conference room (SPAAK 0A50) in Brussels. You can watch the livestreaming and a recording of press conference on Parliament’s website.

Next steps

Parliament is now ready to start talks with EU governments on the final form of the law,

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). As a novelty, the Euro 7 proposal tackles non-exhaust emissions (microplastics from tyres and particles from brakes) and includes requirements concerning battery durability.

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.