A4-0204/95

Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive amending Directive 70/220/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures to be taken against air pollution from emissions from motor vehicles (COM(94)0558 - C4-0278/94 - 94/0286(COD))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 1)

Recital 4

>Original text>

Whereas it is recognized that the development of transport in the Community has entailed significant constraints for the environment; whereas a certain number of official estimates of the increase in traffic density have proved to be lower than the actual figures; whereas for that reason stringent emission standards should be laid down for all motor vehicles;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas it is recognized that the development of transport in the Community has entailed significant constraints for the environment and it is also agreed that the future development of transport will cause a further increase in constraints for the environment; whereas official estimates of the increase in traffic density in the Community have so far proved to be lower than the actual trend; whereas for that reason very stringent emission standards should be laid down for all motor vehicles;

(Amendment 2)

Recital 5

>Original text>

Whereas the Commission has adopted a European programme on emissions, fuels and engine technologies (EPEFE); whereas that programme was established to ensure that proposals for future directives on pollutant emissions seek the best solutions both for the consumer and for the economy; whereas that programme deals with the pollution emitted by vehicles and the fuels which propel them;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the Commission has adopted a European programme on emissions, fuels and engine technologies (EPEFE); whereas that programme was established to ensure that proposals for future directives on pollutant emissions seek the best solutions for the environment, for the consumer and for the economy; whereas that programme deals with the pollution emitted by motor vehicles and the fuels which propel them;

(Amendment 3)

Recital 7, last clause

>Original text>

whereas it is necessary to align the standards for light commercial vehicles with those for passenger cars so as to make them once again at least as stringent as those for passenger cars;

>Text following EP vote>

whereas it is necessary to align the standards for light commercial vehicles with those for passenger cars so as to make them at least as stringent as those for passenger cars;

(Amendment 4)

Recital 8

>Original text>

Whereas the work undertaken by the Commission in this field has shown that the best technology currently available to the Community industry can be further improved in order to allow light commercial vehicles to comply with considerably reduced emission limits; whereas the proposed standards will apply both to the approval of new vehicle types and to check on conformity of production, since the amended method of sampling and statistical evaluation removes the tolerances allowed for the limit values set under previous stages of Directive 70/220/EEC;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the work undertaken by the Commission in this field has shown that the best technology currently available to the Community industry can be further improved in order to allow light commercial vehicles to comply with considerably reduced emission limits; whereas the same is true of other new technologies which are emerging; whereas the proposed standards will apply both to the approval of new vehicle types and to check on conformity of production, since the amended method of sampling and statistical evaluation removes the tolerances allowed for the limit values set under previous stages of Directive 70/220/EEC;

(Amendment 5)

Recital 9

>Original text>

Whereas the Commission has examined the feasibility of amalgamating vehicle categories II and III and has considered the actual conditions under which light commercial vehicles are driven in urban and extra-urban traffic and the special characteristics of those vehicles;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas, in accordance with the Council's instructions in the tenth recital of Council Directive 93/59/EEC of 28 June 19931, vehicle categories II and III can be amalgamated by this Directive with a view to achieving a greater reduction in the limit values for light commercial vehicles;

_____________

1 OJ L 186, 28.7.1993, p. 21.

(Amendment 6)

Recital 10

>Original text>

Whereas Member States should be allowed to encourage, by means of tax incentives, the introduction of vehicles which satisfy the requirements adopted at Community level; whereas such tax incentives should comply with the provisions of the Treaty and satisfy certain conditions intended to avoid distortions of the internal market; whereas the provisions of this Directive do not affect the Member States' right to include emissions of pollutants and other substances in the basis on which road traffic taxes on motor vehicles are calculated;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas Member States should be allowed to encourage, by means of tax incentives, the introduction of vehicles which satisfy the requirements adopted at Community level; whereas additional tax or financial incentives should be possible if they relate to values lower than those prescribed by this Directive; whereas such voluntary standards should be included in the Community table of limit values for motor vehicle emissions; whereas such tax or financial incentives should comply with the provisions of the Treaty and satisfy certain conditions intended to avoid distortions of the internal market; whereas the provisions of this Directive do not affect the Member States' right to include emissions of pollutants and other substances in the basis on which road traffic taxes on motor vehicles are calculated;

(Amendment 7)

Recital 10a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas, in order to accelerate the reduction of emissions from the many old vehicles still in use, Member States should:

- adopt suitable legislation to enable tax concessions to be granted for the withdrawal from circulation of vehicles registered before 1 October 1988,

- take suitable measures to promote the fitting of particulate filters to vehicles already registered,

- adopt suitable legislation on the introduction of a regular check on emissions from vehicles in circulation;

>Text following EP vote>

whereas the values prescribed in this Directive should also be compulsory for old vehicles from 1 January 2000.

(Amendment 8/rev.)

Recital 12

>Original text>

Whereas the Council should adopt by 30 December 1997 the requirements for the stage from the year 2000, on the basis of a proposal to be submitted by the Commission by 30 June 1996; whereas that proposal is to be aimed at substantially reducing emissions of light commercial vehicles;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the Council and the European Parliament should adopt by 30 June 1996 the requirements for the stage from the year 2000, on the basis of a proposal to be submitted by the Commission by 31 December 1995; whereas that proposal is to be aimed at substantially reducing emissions of light commercial vehicles;

(Amendment 9)

Recital 13

>Original text>

Whereas the measures to reduce exhaust emissions in the year 2000, must be part of a 'multifaceted' approach embracing all the measures for reducing air pollution due to road traffic; whereas all the parameters which have been set out as having a significant impact on such pollution have been set out in Article 4 of Directive 94/12/EC; whereas the Commission will undertake the necessary analysis of environmental, technological and cost-effective aspects in order to provide by the end of June 1996 quantified objectives for Community measures for the year 2000.

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the measures to reduce exhaust emissions in the year 2000, must be part of a 'multifaceted' approach embracing all the measures for reducing air pollution due to road traffic; whereas all the parameters which have been set out as having a significant impact on such pollution have been set out in Article 4 of Directive 94/12/EC; whereas the Commission will undertake the necessary analysis of environmental, technological and cost-effective aspects in order to provide by the end of December 1995 quantified objectives for Community measures for the year 2000.

(Amendment 10)

Recital 13a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas in due course, as part of its Community measures for the year 2000, the Commission should submit appropriate proposals required to harmonize national inspection procedures at a high level, also laying down uniform arrangements as regards technical inspection intervals and the matters to be covered by inspections;

(Amendment 11)

Recital 13b (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas, pursuing its multifaceted approach, the Commission should submit proposals to the European Parliament and the Council to encourage the production of petroleum products for motor vehicles which are as acceptable as possible in environmental terms;

(Amendment 12)

Article 2(3), last subparagraph

>Original text>

For vehicles with a power-to-weight ratio of no more than 30 kW/t and a maximum speed not exceeding 130 km/h the dates referred to in the first subparagraph are 1 January 1998 and 1 January 1999 respectively.

>Text following EP vote>

Pursuant to point 2.3.1 of Annex III as amended by Council Directive 93/59/EEC, vehicles with a power-to-weight ratio of not more than 30 kW/t and a maximum speed not exceeding 130 km/h which do not attain the acceleration and maximum speed values required in the operating cycle shall be operated with the accelerator control fully depressed until they once again reach the required operating curve. Deviations shall be recorded in the test report. This requirement shall apply to category I vehicles from 1 January 1996 and to category II and III vehicles from 1 January 1997.

(Amendment 13)

Article 3

>Original text>

Member States may make provisions for tax incentives only in respect of motor vehicles which comply with Directive 70/220/EEC, as amended by this Directive. Such incentives shall comply with the provisions of the Treaty and satisfy the following conditions:

>Text following EP vote>

Member States may make provisions for tax incentives only in respect of motor vehicles which comply with or exceed the requirements of Directive 70/220/EEC, as amended by this Directive. Such incentives shall comply with the provisions of the Treaty and satisfy the following conditions:

>Original text>

- they shall apply to all new vehicles offered for sale on the market of a Member State which comply in advance with the requirements of Directive 70/220/EEC, as amended by this Directive,

>Text following EP vote>

- they shall apply to all new vehicles offered for sale on the market of a Member State which comply in advance with or exceed the requirements of Directive 70/220/EEC, as amended by this Directive,

>Original text>

- they shall be terminated with effect from the mandatory application of the emission values laid down in Article 2(3) for new motor vehicles,

>Text following EP vote>

- they shall be terminated with effect from the mandatory application of the emission values laid down in Article 2(3) for new motor vehicles,

>Original text>

- for each type of motor vehicle, they shall be for an amount lower than the additional cost of the technical devices introduced to ensure compliance with the values set and their installation on the vehicle.

>Text following EP vote>

- for each type of motor vehicle, they shall be for an amount lower than the additional cost of the technical devices introduced to ensure compliance with the values set and their installation on the vehicle.

>Text following EP vote>

Member States may make provision for financial incentives for the withdrawal of motor vehicles which do not satisfy the requirements of this Directive. The same shall apply to the conversion of old vehicles to enable them to comply with the values prescribed in this Directive.

>Original text>

The Commission shall be informed in sufficient time of plans to institute or change the tax incentives referred to in the first paragraph, so that it can submit its observations.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall be informed in sufficient time of plans to institute or change the tax or financial incentives referred to above, so that it can submit its observations.

(Amendment 14)

Article 3, second paragraph a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Member States may adopt further tax concessions to encourage the sale of vehicles which comply with stricter emissions standards (see footnote in the table in the annex). Such concessions shall comply with the provisions of the Treaty and this Directive. They shall be terminated with effect from the application of the emissions standards of stage 2000.

(Amendment 15/rev.)

Article 4, first paragraph

>Original text>

The Council, acting under the conditions laid down in the Treaty, shall decide before 31 December 1997 on proposals for a further stage of the Community's measures against air pollution caused by emissions from motor vehicles covered by this Directive, which the Commission shall submit before 30 June 1996. The measures shall apply from the year 2000 onwards.

>Text following EP vote>

The Council and the European Parliament, acting under the conditions laid down in the Treaty, shall decide before 30 June 1996 on proposals for a further stage of the Community's measures against air pollution caused by emissions from motor vehicles covered by this Directive, which the Commission shall submit before 31 December 1995. The measures shall apply from the year 2000 onwards.

(Amendment 16)

Article 4a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Article 4a

From 1 January 2000 the values prescribed in this Directive shall also apply to all other vehicles (old vehicles).

(Amendments 17 and 19)

ANNEX

Text proposed by the Commission

>Original text>

The table of section 5.3.1.4 is replaced by the following:

>TABLE>

(1) Until 30 September 1999, for vehicles fitted with diesel engines of the direct-injection type, the limit values L2 and L3 are the following:

L2 L3

- category M(2) and N1(3), class I: 0,9 0,10

- category N1(3) class II: 1,4 0,19

- category N1(3) class III: 1,7 0,25

(2) Except:

- vehicles designed to carry more than six occupants including the driver,

- vehicles whose maximum mass exceeds 2 500 kg.

(3) And those category M vehicles which are specified in footnote (2)'.

>Text following EP vote>

Amendment by Parliament

The table of section 5.3.1.4 is replaced by the following:

>TABLE>

(1) Until 30 September 1999, for vehicles fitted with diesel engines of the direct-injection type, the limit values L2 and L3 are the following:

L2 L3

- category M(2) and N1(3), class I: 0,9 (NOx 0,7) 0,10

- category N1(3) classes II + III: 1,25 (NOx 1,0) 0,14

(1a) The separate indication of the limit values for oxides of nitrogen enters into force on 1 January 2000.

(2) Except:

- vehicles designed to carry more than six occupants including the driver,

- vehicles whose maximum mass exceeds 2 500 kg.

(3) And those category M vehicles which are specified in footnote (2)'.

(3a) Tax concessions should be granted for vehicles achieving the following limit values:

Category Mass of particulates M 0,04 N1 I 0,04 N1 II and III 0,10

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive amending Directive 70/220/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures to be taken against air pollution from emissions from motor vehicles (COM(94)0558 - C4-0278/94 - 94/0286(COD))

(Codecision procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council, COM(94)0558 - 94/0286(COD) ((OJ C 390, 31.12.1994, p. 26. )),

- having regard to Articles 189b(2) and 100a of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C4-0278/94),

- having regard to Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection and the opinions of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy and the Committee on Transport and Tourism (A4-0204/95),

1. Approves the Commission proposal, subject to Parliament's amendments;

2. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 189a(2) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to incorporate Parliament's amendments in the common position that it adopts in accordance with Article 189b(2) of the EC Treaty;

4. Should the Council intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament, calls on the Council to notify Parliament and requests that the conciliation procedure be initiated;

5. Points out that the Commission is required to submit to Parliament any modification it may intend to make to its proposal as amended by Parliament;

6. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.