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(2004/C 78 E/0307)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3639/03

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 December 2003)

Subject:   Pollution in Wipp and Eisack valleys (Austria and Italy)

Fine dust particles are known to be especially damaging to human health and to the natural environment. A representative example of a now widespread phenomenon is that motorway traffic in North and South Tyrol accounts for half the level of particle emissions for the entire region. The Brenner motorway, a major north-south axis, cuts a wide gash through the narrow Wipp and Eisack valleys. It is responsible for 30 % of hazardous emissions, and by releasing 13 000 tonnes of combustion residues annually, places these valleys under enormous strain. The frequent and sustained temperature inversions and persistent periods of low wind velocity that result from the geological structure of the Alpine valleys tend to impede or even prevent the dispersal and dilution of such particles. The serious impact on human beings and the natural environment of pollution from noise and hazardous particles generated by the enormous traffic volumes cannot be underestimated.

The Commission is asked:

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(14 January 2004)

Directive 1999/96/EC (1) introduced new emission requirements for new heavy-duty vehicles in two stages. The Euro 4 stage, due to be mandatory from October 2006 for all new heavy-duty vehicles, will lower the emissions of Nitrogen oxides (NOx) by some 30 % over the present legal requirements while the emission of particulates will be lowered by some 80 %. A second mandatory stage (Euro 5) will apply to all new heavy-duty vehicles from October 2009 and this will result in a lowering of NOx by a total of 60 % over the present legal requirements. Now, the Commission is investigating a further stage of emission reductions for new heavy-duty vehicles (Euro 6 in the timeframe 2012-2013), concentrating on the primary pollutants NOx and particulates.

In addition, the Commission is also investigating a further stage of emission reductions for new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (Euro 5 in the timeframe 2010), also concentrating on the primary pollutants NOx and particulates.

With respect to improving vehicle performance in the road-haulage industry, stricter checks of emissions are being supplemented by the introduction of new technical measures for on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems on heavy-duty vehicles. OBD is to be a part of the Euro 4 stage from 2006. OBD will monitor non-compliance of emissions in real-time and inform the driver and repair garage if there is a problem with the emission control systems that needs attention.

The Commission is also working on a new method for checking the in-use conformity of heavy-duty vehicles in service through the use of portable emission monitoring systems (PEMS) which will supplement the technical measures of the Euro 4 stage.

Older heavy-duty vehicles used in the road haulage industry can be retro-fitted with filters to reduce the emissions of particulates. However, retro-fitting is not dealt with at a European level but rather at a national or local level, usually encouraged through fiscal incentives. Such filters show an immediate and drastic cut in emissions of exhaust particulates.

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(1)  Directive 1999/96/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from compression ignition engines for use in vehicles, and the emission of gaseous pollutants from positive ignition engines fuelled with natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas for use in vehicles and amending Council Directive 88/77/EEC, OJ L 44, 16.2.2000.

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