I 
(Legislative acts)  
DIRECTIVES  
DIRECTIVE 2011/72/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL  
of 14 September 2011  
amending Directive 2000/25/EC as regards the provisions for tractors placed on the market under 
the flexibility scheme  
(Text with EEA relevance)  
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE 
EUROPEAN UNION,  
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European 
Union, and in particular Article 114 thereof,  
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,  
After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national 
parliaments,  
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and 
Social Committee (  1 ), 
Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (  2 ), 
Whereas:  
(1) Directive 2000/25/EC of the European Parliament and of 
the Council of 22 May 2000 on action to be taken 
against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants 
by engines intended to power agricultural or forestry 
tractors (  3 ) regulates exhaust emissions from engines 
installed in agricultural and forestry tractors with a 
view to further safeguarding human health and the 
environment. Directive 2000/25/EC provided that the 
emission limits applicable in 2010 for type approval of 
the majority of compression ignition engines, referred to 
as Stage III A, were to be replaced by the more stringent 
Stage III B limits, entering into force progressively as 
from 1 January 2011 with regard to the placing on 
the market, and from 1 January 2010 as regards the 
type-approval for those engines. Stage IV, providing for 
emission limits more stringent than Stage III B, will enter 
into force progressively as of 1 January 2013 as regards 
the type-approval for those engines and as of 1 January 
2014 with regard to the placing on the market.  (2) The transition to Stage III B involves a step change in 
technology requiring significant implementation costs for 
re-designing the engines and for developing advanced 
technical solutions. However, the current global 
financial and economic crisis or any economic 
downturn should not lead to a lowering of environ ­
mental standards. This revision of Directive 2000/25/EC 
should therefore be considered to be exceptional. 
Furthermore, investments in environmentally friendly 
technologies are important for the promotion of future 
growth, jobs and health security.  
(3) Directive 2000/25/EC provides for a flexibility scheme to 
allow tractor manufacturers to purchase, during a given 
stage, a limited number of engines that do not comply 
with emission limits applicable during that stage, but 
which are approved in accordance with the requirements 
of the stage immediately preceding the applicable one.  
(4) Since 2005, Directive 2000/25/EC has provided for the 
evaluation of the possible need for additional flexibilities 
in relation to Stages III B and IV emission limits. In order 
to provide temporary relief to the industry when moving 
to the next stage, it is necessary to adapt the conditions 
for applying the flexibility scheme.  
(5) During Stage III B, the number of tractors that are placed 
on the market and that enter into service should, in each 
engine category, not exceed 40 % of the number of 
tractors placed on the market by the tractor manu ­
facturer in that engine category. The alternative option 
of allowing a fixed number of tractors to be placed on 
the market and to enter into service under the flexibility 
scheme should be adapted accordingly.  
(6) Manufacturers of tractors falling within the scope of this 
Directive should benefit from European financial support 
programmes or any relevant support programmes 
provided by Member States. Those support programmes 
may favour projects employing the best available tech ­
nologies with the highest emission standards.EN 23.9.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 246/1  
( 1 ) OJ C 107, 6.4.2011, p. 26.  
( 2 ) Position of the European Parliament of 23 June 2011 (not yet 
published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 
19 July 2011.  
( 3 ) OJ L 173, 12.7.2000, p. 1.(7) Directive 2000/25/EC should therefore be amended 
accordingly.  
(8) The measures provided for in this Directive reflect a 
temporary difficulty faced by the industry. As such, the 
application of those measures should be restricted to the 
duration of Stage III B.  
(9) Current emission limits should be made more stringent, 
including with respect to ultrafine black carbon particles 
notably by introducing particulate number limits in 
future legislation if this is justified by relevant impact 
assessments,  
HAVE ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:  
Article 1  
Amendments to Directive 2000/25/EC  
Directive 2000/25/EC is hereby amended as follows:  
(1) in Article 1, the following indents are added:  
‘— “flexibility scheme” means the exemption procedure by 
means of which a Member State permits the placing on 
the market and entry into service of a limited number 
of tractors in accordance with the requirements laid 
down by Article 3a,  
— “engine category” means the classification of engines 
which combines the power range with the stage of 
exhaust emission limits,  
— “making available on the market” means any supply of 
a tractor or engine for distribution or use on the Union 
market in the course of a commercial activity, whether 
in return for payment or free of charge,  
— “placing on the market” means the first making 
available on the market of a tractor or engine,  
— “entry into service” means the first use, for its intended 
purpose, in the Union of a tractor or engine. The date 
on which it is registered, if applicable, or placed on the 
market shall be considered the date of entry into 
service.’;  
(2) Article 3a is replaced by the following:  
‘Article 3a  
Flexibility scheme  
By way of derogation from Article 3(1) and (2), Member 
States shall provide that, at the request of the tractor manu ­
facturer, and on condition that the approval authority has 
granted the relevant permit for placing on the market in accordance with the procedures laid down in Annex IV, a 
limited number of tractors fitted with engines approved in 
accordance with the requirements of the emission limits 
stage immediately preceding the applicable one may enter 
into service.  
The flexibility scheme shall begin when a given stage 
becomes applicable and shall have the same duration as 
the stage itself. The flexibility scheme set out in section 
1.2 of Annex IV shall, however, be restricted to the 
duration of Stage III B or to three years where no 
subsequent stage exists.’;  
(3) Annex IV is replaced by the text appearing in the Annex to 
this Directive.  
Article 2  
Transposition  
1. Member States shall adopt and publish, by 24 September 
2011 at the latest, the laws, regulations and administrative 
provisions necessary to comply with this Directive. They shall 
forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those 
provisions.  
When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain 
a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a 
reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member 
States shall determine how such reference is to be made.  
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the 
text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in 
the field covered by this Directive.  
Article 3  
Entry into force  
This Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day 
following that of its publication in the  Official Journal of the 
European Union . 
Article 4  
Addressees  
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.  
Done at Strasbourg, 14 September 2011.  
For the European Parliament 
The President  
J. BUZEK  For the Council 
The President  
M. DOWGIELEWICZEN L 246/2 Official Journal of the European Union 23.9.2011ANNEX  
‘ANNEX IV  
PROVISIONS FOR TRACTORS AND ENGINES PLACED ON THE MARKET UNDER THE FLEXIBILITY 
SCHEME LAID DOWN IN ARTICLE 3a  
1. ACTIONS BY THE TRACTOR MANUFACTURERS  
1.1. Except during Stage III B, a tractor manufacturer who wishes to make use of the flexibility scheme shall request 
permission from the approval authority to place tractors on the market in accordance with the relevant provisions 
set out in this Annex. The number of tractors shall not exceed the ceilings set out in sections 1.1.1 and 1.1.2. The 
engines shall meet the requirements referred to in Article 3a.  
1.1.1. The number of tractors placed on the market under the flexibility scheme shall, in each engine category, not 
exceed 20 % of the annual number of tractors placed on the market by the tractor manufacturer with engines in 
that engine category (calculated as the average of the last five years’ sales on the Union market). Where a tractor 
manufacturer has marketed tractors in the Union for a period of less than five years the average will be calculated 
based on the actual period for which the tractor manufacturer has marketed tractors in the Union.  
1.1.2. As an alternative option to section 1.1.1, the number of tractors placed on the market under the flexibility scheme 
shall, in each power range, not exceed the following ceilings:  
Engine power range 
P (kW)  Number of tractors  
19 ≤ P < 37  200  
37 ≤ P < 75  150  
75 ≤ P < 130  100  
130 ≤ P ≤ 560  50  
1.2. During Stage III B, a tractor manufacturer who wishes to make use of the flexibility scheme shall request 
permission from the approval authority to place tractors on the market in accordance with the relevant provisions 
set out in this Annex. The number of tractors shall not exceed the ceilings set out in sections 1.2.1 and 1.2.2. The 
engines shall meet the requirements referred to in Article 3a.  
1.2.1. The number of tractors placed on the market under the flexibility scheme shall, in each engine category, not 
exceed 40 % of the annual number of tractors placed on the market by the tractor manufacturer with engines in 
that engine category (calculated as the average of the last five years’ sales on the Union market). Where a tractor 
manufacturer has marketed tractors in the Union for a period of less than five years the average will be calculated 
based on the actual period for which the tractor manufacturer has marketed tractors in the Union.  
1.2.2. As an alternative option to section 1.2.1, the number of tractors placed on the market under the flexibility scheme 
shall, in each power range, not exceed the following ceilings:  
Engine power range 
P (kW)  Number of tractors  
37 ≤ P < 56  200  
56 ≤ P < 75  175  
75 ≤ P < 130  250  
130 ≤ P ≤ 560  125  
1.3. The tractor manufacturer shall include in his application to the approval authority the following information:  
(a) a sample of the labels to be affixed to each tractor in which an engine placed on the market under the 
flexibility scheme will be installed. The labels shall bear the following text:  ″TRACTOR NO … (sequence of 
tractors) OF … (total number of tractors in respective power range) WITH ENGINE NO … WITH TYPE- 
APPROVAL (Directive 2000/25/EC) NO …  ″; andEN 23.9.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 246/3(b) a sample of the supplementary label to be affixed on the engine bearing the text referred to in section 2.2.  
1.4. The tractor manufacturer shall provide the approval authority with any necessary information connected with the 
implementation of the flexibility scheme that the approval authority may request in order to make a decision.  
1.5. The tractor manufacturer shall file a report every six months to the approval authorities of each Member State 
where the tractor is placed on the market on the implementation of the flexibility schemes he is using. The report 
shall include cumulative data on the number of tractors placed on the market under the flexibility scheme, engine 
and tractor serial numbers, and the Member States where the tractor has been entered into service. This procedure 
shall be continued as long as a flexibility scheme is still in progress, without any exceptions.  
2. ACTIONS BY THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER  
2.1. An engine manufacturer may place on the market engines under the flexibility scheme approved in accordance 
with sections 1 and 3 of this Annex.  
2.2. The engine manufacturer shall label those engines with the following text:  ″Engine placed on the market under the 
flexibility scheme  ″ in accordance with the requirements referred to in section 5 of Annex I.  
3. ACTIONS BY THE APPROVAL AUTHORITY  
The approval authority shall evaluate the content of the flexibility scheme request and the enclosed documents. As 
a consequence it will inform the tractor manufacturer of its decision as to whether or not to allow use of the 
flexibility scheme as requested.’.EN L 246/4 Official Journal of the European Union 23.9.2011