In Strasbourg, the European Parliament and representatives of EU member states reached consensus on new limits for emissions from vehicles such as cars and buses. The new regulations are known as “Euro 7 standards”.
The rules also specify brake and tire wear limits.
The review of the current limit values is a response to the European Commission’s proposal, which aims to reduce vehicle emissions harmful to the environment and human health. However, it is important to note that these The newly adopted limits are less stringent than those originally proposed by the Commission.
The EU’s “European standards” for vehicle emissions now cover not only exhaust gases such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), but also other traffic-related pollutants such as ultrafine particles from tire or brake wear. This means that Euro 7 standards will also apply to electric and hydrogen vehicles.
Although this agreement still needs formal approval from EU member states and the European Parliament, the move is generally considered a formality. According to Parliament, these rules will be applied to cars and small trucks 30 months after they enter into force. These rules will apply to buses and trucks 48 months later.
Current Euro 6 standards regulate emissions of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter, hydrocarbons, methane and ammonia from trucks and buses. The Commission stressed that air pollution causes more than 300,000 premature deaths every year in the European Union alone. According to research by the European Environment Agency and the European Union Joint Research Centre, in 2018 road transport was responsible for 39% of harmful NOx emissions (47% in urban areas) and total PM10 emissions – primarily particles smaller than 10 micrometers – 11 %.
Source: Reuters
Cover image source: Getty Images
