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On 10 November, the European Commission presented a proposal for new air pollutant standards from new road vehicles, named Euro 7. The proposal replaces and simplifies previously separate emission rules for cars and vans (Euro 6) and lorries and buses (Euro VI).

The proposal tackles emissions from tailpipes as well as from brakes and tyres. It also contributes to achieving the new stricter air quality standards proposed by the Commission on 26 October 2022. The Commission intends to keep the rules fuel- and technology-neutral, placing the same limits regardless of whether the vehicle uses petrol, diesel, electric drive-trains or alternative fuels. The Commission proposal aims the following:

• Better control emissions of air pollutants from all new vehicles, by broadening the range of driving conditions that are covered by the on-road emissions tests.
• Update and tighten the limits for pollutant emissions: The new rules also set emission limits for previously unregulated pollutants, such as nitrous oxide emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.
• Regulate emissions from brakes and tyres: the Euro 7 standards rules will set additional limits for particulate emissions from brakes and rules on microplastic emissions from tyres.
• Ensure that new cars stay clean for longer: all vehicles will need to comply with the rules for a longer period than until now.
• Support the deployment of electric vehicles: the new rules will regulate the durability of batteries installed in vehicles in order to increase consumer confidence for this type of vehicle.Make full use of digital possibilities: Euro 7 rules will ensure that vehicles are not tampered and emissions can be controlled by the authorities in an easy way.

The Parliament and Council will now start working on the proposal in view of its adoption by the co-legislators.

Source: European Commission