Select Committee on European Scrutiny Twentieth Report


7 Vehicle type approval: emission limits

(27173)

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

Legal baseArticle 95EC; co-decision; QMV
Document originated21 December 2005
Deposited in Parliament16 January 2006
DepartmentTransport
Basis of considerationEM of 26 January 2006
Previous Committee ReportNone
To be discussed in CouncilMarch 2006
Committee's assessmentPolitically important
Committee's decisionNot cleared; further information awaited

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)
Petrol Class II van
100 (25%)
75 (25%)
52 (N/A)
Petrol Class III van
120 (25%)
82 (25%)
52 (N/A)
Diesel car & Class I van
200 (20%)
5 (80%)
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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