7 Vehicle type approval: emission limits
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5163/06
COM(05) 683
+ ADD 1
| Draft Regulation on type approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions and on access to vehicle repair information, amending Directive 72/306/EEC
Commission Staff Working Document: Annex to draft Regulation on type approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions and on access to vehicle repair information, amending Directive 72/306/EEC
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| Legal base | Article 95EC; co-decision; QMV
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| Document originated | 21 December 2005
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| Deposited in Parliament | 16 January 2006
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| Department | Transport |
| Basis of consideration | EM of 26 January 2006
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | March 2006
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Not cleared; further information awaited
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Background
7.1 Design and construction standards for motor vehicles in the
Community are currently[24]
governed by Directive 70/156/EEC,[25]
which seeks to achieve a single market through harmonised standards
using the concept of type approval. Because of the significant
— and
increasing —
contribution which such vehicles make both to air pollution generally
and to emissions of greenhouse gases, those granted type approval
must also comply with the mandatory emission "Euro"
standards, which are defined in terms of the maximum permissible
mass of pollutants which may be emitted per kilometre travelled
when a vehicle is tested in a specific driving cycle. The standards
applying to cars and light vans up to 3.5 tonnes weight were first
laid down in Directive 70/220/EEC,[26]
and have since been progressively tightened, with newly registered
cars and car-derived (Class I) vans having to comply with the
fourth major stage of reductions (Euro IV) as from 1 January 2006,
and larger (Class II and III) vans from 1 January 2007.
The current proposal
7.2 This proposal introduces the next stage (Euro
V) of emission controls for new cars and vans, and has been developed
in the context of the Clean Air for Europe (CAFÉ) programme,
where the Commission has identified it as among several measures
which are important in reducing ambient concentrations of nitrogen
dioxide, ozone and particulate matter. However, it differs from
previous measures on vehicle emissions in that it takes the form
of a draft Regulation rather than a Directive, the Commission's
aim being to deliver a high standard of compliance whilst avoiding
the need for transposition into Member States' legislation. It
also aims to simplify existing legislation by incorporating all
current requirements and test procedures into a single piece of
legislation and by repealing previous mandatory emissions Directives
dealing with light-duty vehicles, and it concentrates on more
fundamental provisions, leaving the detailed technical specifications
to be adopted by the Commission under the comitology process.
7.3 More specifically, the proposal would:
- Tighten existing mandatory
standards for emissions from new cars and vans of hydrocarbons
(HCs), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and, in the case of diesel vehicles,
particulate matter (PM) —
though no changes are proposed for carbon monoxide levels, on
the grounds that the relevant air quality objectives have already
been achieved. These new standards, which are set out in Annex
I, would come into effect for cars 18 months after publication
of the measure in the case of new type approvals and 36 months
from that date for all cars entering into service (with corresponding
figures of 30 and 48 months for large vans);
- Amend the basis on which emissions of particles
are measured. This is currently done by measuring the total mass
of material collected on diesel particulate filters, but, as the
levels emitted by modern diesels are approaching the limits of
detection achievable by existing techniques, the UN ECE set up
a Particle Measurement Programme to devise improved techniques.
This has resulted in the development of an improved technique
for measuring particulate mass and one for counting particle numbers,
both of which are currently subject to a validation exercise,
expected to be completed by the middle of this year. The Commission
has proposed that the methods for measuring particle mass should
be revised through the comitology process once that validation
is complete, and should also involve the adjustment of the limit
values to reflect the new measurement technique. The procedures
for counting particle numbers, and the limit to be set on their
number, would be adopted in this way as well;
- Remove a derogation allowing cars of a gross
weight greater than 2.5 tonnes (and currently used by diesel off-road
vehicles, small diesel minibuses, diesel motorhomes, taxis and
some diesel MPVs) to be approved on the basis of the limit values
and dates applicable to Class II and III light goods vehicles;
- Increase from 80,000 km to 160,000 km the durability
period which manufacturers are required to demonstrate for emissions
control systems at type approval;
- Require vehicle repair information to be made
available via websites in a standard format; and
- Allow Member States to provide financial incentives
for new vehicles in series production which comply with the requirements
of the Regulation in advance of the effective dates, for retrofitting
of existing vehicles to meet those requirements, and for scrapping
those vehicles which do not.
7.4 In an accompanying Impact Assessment, the Commission
suggests that meeting the specified emissions limits for NOx and
PM would result in an increase of €377
in the cost of a diesel vehicle, with a large proportion of this
arising from the increased specification for particle filters,
with a corresponding figure of €51
for petrol cars, reflecting the fact that emission control technologies
for such cars are generally more developed at present.
The Government's view
7.5 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 26 January 2006,
the Minister of State at the Department of Transport (Dr Stephen
Ladyman) says the Government broadly welcomes this proposal. In
particular, he points out that the latest projections produced
as part of the UK Air Quality Strategy Review (AQSR) suggest that
the UK will fall short of meeting both the legally binding air
quality limit values set by the Community and national air quality
objectives for concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and particles
in a number of areas. The proposal is therefore seen as essential
in helping to achieve those targets (and in reducing exceedences
of critical loads for acidity and nutrient nitrogen, and hence
their adverse effect on buildings). He adds that the AQSR analysis
shows that new vehicle emission standards are the single most
effective means of closing this gap, and in generating significant
public health and environmental improvements, with the provisions
on particle emissions having especially significant air quality
effects.
7.6 The Minister also draws attention to two specific
aspects of the proposal. First, he says that the requirements
for particulate matter are aimed at forcing all vehicles to adopt
diesel particulate filters, which are extremely effective at reducing
emissions of ultra-fine particles, thought to pose the greatest
adverse effect on health. Secondly, he points out that, whilst
particle emissions from petrol cars have traditionally been negligible,
those from new low-burn petrol direct injection vehicles are currently
significantly higher, and that, although the total mass emitted
is still well below that for diesel vehicles, the actual number
of particles can be similar. The Commission has therefore proposed
that particle emissions from low-burn petrol direct injection
vehicles should be subject to the same limits as those fitted
with diesel particulate filters.
7.7 The Minister says that the Government is opposed
to the inclusion of the provisions on fiscal incentives in this
proposal, which has been made under Article 95, and is hence subject
to qualified majority voting. It takes the view that any proposals
on fiscal incentives should be subject to unanimity in order to
ensure that Member States retain maximum flexibility to introduce
fiscal incentives as and when appropriate according to national
circumstances and priorities. It will therefore resist references
to such incentives in this proposal.
7.8 The Minister also points out that the proposal
will have a significant impact on the vehicle manufacturing sector,
and could affect the development of new car and engine model ranges
and industry's ability to meet other demanding environmental requirements
(such as reducing emissions of carbon dioxide), as well as increasing
costs. He adds that the detailed implications of the proposal,
including the cost, benefit, and impact on vehicle manufacturers
and manufacturers of emissions control equipment, are being considered,
and will be set out in a Regulatory Impact Assessment, which may
lead to reservations about some of the other aspects of the proposal.
Conclusion
7.9 We note that this proposal will have a significant
impact on the vehicle manufacturing sector, including the development
of new car and engine model ranges, and that its detailed implications
will be set out in a Regulatory Impact Assessment. We will therefore
consider it further when that information is available, but, in
the meantime, we think it right to draw it to the attention of
the House.
ANNEX I PROPOSED EURO V EMISSION LIMITS (mg/km)
| HC
| NOx |
PM |
| Petrol car & Class I van | 75 (25%)
| 60 (25%)
| 52 (N/A)
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| Petrol Class II van | 100 (25%)
| 75 (25%)
| 52 (N/A)
|
| Petrol Class III van | 120 (25%)
| 82 (25%)
| 52 (N/A)
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| Diesel car & Class I van |
| 200 (20%)
| 5 (80%)
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| Diesel Class II van | |
260 (20%) |
5 (80%) |
| Diesel Class III Van | |
310 (20%) |
5 (92%) |
1 The figures in brackets show the percentage reduction
from the Euro IV standards.
2 Applies to lean-burn direct injection engines only.
24 However, amending proposals are currently being
considered by the Council and European Parliament. See (24767)
11641/03 and (26127) 14469/04; HC 42-xiv (2003-04), para 4 (24
March 2004) and HC 38-ii (2004-05), para 2 (8 December 2004). Back
25
OJ No. L.42, 23.2.1970, p.1. Back
26
OJ No. L.76, 6.4.1970, p.1. Back
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