European Union vehicle emissions regulations
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Carbon dioxide emission regulations
In the European Union (EU), road transport is one of the few sectors where emissions are still rising rapidly. It contributes about one-fifth of the EU's total emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. Although there have been significant improvements over recent years in vehicle technology - particularly in fuel efficiency, which translates into lower CO2 emissions - these have not been enough to neutralize the effect of increases in traffic and car size. CO2 emissions from road transport rose by 26% between 1990 and 2004. <ref>Proposal for REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL: Setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars as part of the Community's integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions from light-duty vehicles. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2007:0856:FIN:EN:PDF</ref>
Original Strategy in 1995
The original strategy for CO2 emissions reduction was proposed by the EC in 1995 with the supported of European Parliament. It has three main subjects:
- Voluntary commitments by car markers
- The automakers need to make voluntary commitments to reduce CO2 emissions from their new cars sold in the EU to an average of 140 g/km by 2008 (for European manufacturers) or 2009 (for Japanese and Korean manufacturers).
- Raising awareness among consumers
- An EU directive requires that each new car display a label showing its fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.<ref>Comparative Colour Coded Label. http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environment/research/consumerbehaviour/comparativecolourcodedlabels3819?page=6</ref>
- Promoting fuel-efficient cars through fiscal measures
- EC has proposed EU legislation aimed at including a CO2 element in national car taxes.
Information to consumer
Car ads that references a specific make and model, according to EU directive 1999/94/EC<, which passed in December 1999, need to reveal fuel use and CO2 emissions in way that is easy to read and prominent and "be easy to understand even on superficial contact."
New Proposal in 2007
To help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet its Kyoto Protocol targets, the EU has agreed that average CO2 emissions from new passenger cars should not exceed 120 grams of CO2 per km by 2012<ref>European Commission. 2007. Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars as part of the Community's integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions from light-duty vehicles. Dec. 19, 2007. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2007:0856:FIN:EN:HTML</ref>. This target was reconfirmed most recently at last June's meeting of the European Council, when EU leaders revised the EU Sustainable Development Strategy. <ref>Public consultation on the implementation of the renewed strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles. http://ec.europa.eu/reducing_co2_emissions_from_cars/index_en.htm</ref>
| Year | CO2 emission | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 186 g/km | Data |
| 2004 | 163 g/km | Data (12.4% reduction from 1995) |
| 2008 | 140 g/km | Target |
| by 2012 | 120 g/km* | Target |
Note: * This corresponds to fuel consumption of 4.5 litres per 100 km for diesel cars and 5 l/100 km for petrol cars.
Execution
Mandatory labeling
<ref> relating to the availability of consumer information on fuel economy and CO2 emissions in respect of the marketing of new passenger cars. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/co2/9994/en.pdf</ref>
Voluntary agreements with automakers
Non-carbon dioxide emission regulation
The non-CO2 pollutant emissions for the vehicles sold in European are regulated separately for light-duty vehicles (cars and light vans) and for heavy-duty vehicles (trucks and buses). <ref>Transport and Environment: Some key topics, http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/transport.htm#1</ref>
The regulations mainly provides two sets of standards for diesel and gasoline vehicles and also for different size of vehicles:
- Passenger cars
- Light commercial vehicles
- Light commercial vehicles ≤1305 kg (Category N1 - I)
- Light commercial vehicles 1305 kg-1760 kg (Category N1 - II)
- Light commercial vehicles >1760 kg max 3500 kg. (Category N1 - III), g/km
- Emission standards for lorries and buses
- Emission standards for Large Goods Vehicles
The regulation stages for light duty vehicle are defined using Arabic numerals, such as Euro 1, Euro 2, Euro 3, Euro 4 and Euro 5. The satges for heavy duty vehicles use Roman, such as Euro I, Euro II, Euro III, Euro IV and Euro V.
| Stage | Implement Year | Directive # |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Directive 70/220/EEC<ref>http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/directives/vehicles/dir70_220_cee.html</ref> | |
| Euro 1 | 1993 | 91/441/EEC(cars)<ref>http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31991L0441:EN:HTML</ref> 93/59/EEC(light trucks) |
| Euro 2 | 1996 | 94/12/EC (& 96/69/EC) |
| Euro 3 | 2000 | 98/69/EC |
| Euro 4 | 2005 | 98/69/EC (& 2002/80/EC) |
| Euro 5 | 2008/9 | (COM(2005)683-proposed)<ref>http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2005/com2005_0683en01.pdf</ref> |
Other Programs
CAFE Program
Clean Air for Europe (CAFE) launched in March 2001 is a program to carry out technical analysis and policy development that underpinned the development of the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution.<ref> http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/cafe/index.htm</ref> The major elements of the CAFE program are:
- Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution (COM(2005) 446)<ref>http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2005/com2005_0446en01.pdf</ref>
- Annexes to the Thematic Strategy are in SEC (2005) 1132<ref>http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/cafe/pdf/annex_sec_2005_1132_en.pdf</ref>
- Directive on Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe (the CAFE Directive) (COM(2005) 447)<ref>http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/cafe/pdf/com_2005_447_en.pdf</ref>
- Impact Assessment of the Thematic Strategy and the CAFE Directive (SEC(2005) 1133)
Auto-Oil Program
Auto-Oil Program focused on the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particles.
References
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