IRU welcomes the European Parliament’s plenary vote in support of the pragmatic approach on new Euro 7 pollutant emission standard rules.
Following the European Commission’s proposal to set new Euro 7 rules earlier this year, and the Council’s General Approach, the European Parliament has adopted its position.
The Parliament’s decision is widely aligned with the general approach that the Council had reached in late September, keeping existing emission limits and test conditions for light-duty vehicles as they are expected to rapidly shift to zero-emission, and setting stricter limit values for heavy-duty vehicles, but more pragmatic and proportionate than what the Commission has proposed, and only slightly adjusting test conditions for heavy-duty vehicles.
IRU EU Advocacy Director Raluca Marian said, “We’re pleased to see that the Parliament’s plenary has reached a realistic position on Euro 7 emission standards, with proportionality between the environmental benefits sought and the investments needed, as called for by IRU.”
“This is exactly what the EU needs, a regulatory environment that fosters efficiency and sustainability,” she added.
In another welcome move, MEPs want to align the EU’s calculation methodologies and limits for brake particle emission and tyre abrasion rate with international standards currently being developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
“The road transport sector is committed to further improving air quality with stricter limit values in balance with additional costs and administrative burden. We call on policymakers to allow reason to prevail, and facilitate the EU’s decarbonisation journey, rather than impeding it with unrealistic targets, to the detriment of EU companies and citizens,” concluded Raluca Marian.
The European Parliament will now begin negotiations with Member States on the final form of the law.
