Amended proposal for a 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 by emissions from motor vehicles
Date: 1992-12-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European standard, air quality, approximation of laws, motor vehicle, motor vehicle pollution, tax incentive

COMMISSION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

C0M(92) 553 final  - SYN 398 

Brussels,  15 December 1992 

Amended  proposal  for a 

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 by emissions from motor vehicles 

(presented by the Commission  pursuant  to Article  149(3) 
of  the EEC-Treaty) 

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Explanatory  Memorandum 

A. On  20 March  1992 the Commission  sent  to the Council  a proposal  for  a 

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  by emissions  from motor  vehicles. 

On  29 October  1992, the  European  Parliament  approved  the proposal  in the 

first  reading, subject  to  10 amendments.  The Commission  accepts  3 of  the 

proposed  amendments  with  drafting  changes. 

The  first of  these  amendments  clarifies  the motivation  of  the  present 

directive  in referring  to the  likely  increase  in road  transport  in the 

Community. 

The second  amendment  draws  the attention  to the  importance of  research  and 

development  efforts  in anti-pot lut ion  technology  for  the  competitiveness 

of  the European  automobile  industry. 

The  third  amendment  underlines  the  role of  the Commission  in adapting  the 

Communities' emissions  standards  to the state of  the art. 

The Commission  has  decided  not  to accept  the other  amendments,  because  the 

Commission  believes  it does not  have objective  industrial  data  to  show 

that  the standards  proposed  by Parliament  can  be met  whit in the  desired 

timescale using  technologies  which  are available  or being  developed. 

B. The Commission  therefore  proposed  to  insert  three new  recitals  in  the 

legal  part  of  the  directive-

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Amended  proposal  for a 

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  by emissions  from motor  vehicles 

After the  sixth  recital  the  following  new recitals  are  added: 

"Whereas  it is generally  agreed that  future transport  developments  in the 

European  Community  will be accompanied  by  an  increase  in pollution  of the 

environment; whereas  it must be borne  in mind  that hitherto  all  official 

forecasts  of  increases  in density  of transport  have been  overshadowed  by 

actual developments; whereas, therefore,  stringent  exhaust  gas  standards 

must be  laid down  for  all motor vehicles; 

Whereas  special  R &D  efforts concerning  reduction  in pollution  of the 

atmosphere  by motor  vehicles may  be a significant  element  in  strengthening 

the comptetitiveness of  the European  automotive  industry; 

Whereas  the Commission  evaluates  periodically  recent  advances  in  science 

permitting  a reduction  in the  limit values  for pollution  of  the  air by 

motor vehicles  and,  in consultation with  its Expert Group on Motor  Vehicle 

Emissions  (MVEG),  proposes measures  for  suitable  further reductions." 

-M 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(92) 553 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

14 

Catalogue number  : CB-CO-92-575-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-50708-X 

irfice for  Official  Publications of the European  Communities 

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