Amended 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
Date: 1995-11-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: air quality, approximation of laws, motor vehicle, quality of the environment, tax incentive, technical standard

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  10.11.1995 
COM(95) 540 final 

94/0286 (COD) 

Amended  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 

(presented by the Commission  pursuant to Article  189 a (2) 
of the EC-Treaty) 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

On  19  December  1994  the  Commission  sent  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the 
Council a proposal for  a Directive amending Directive  70/220/EEC  relating to  measures 
to  be  taken  against  air  pollution  from  emissions  from  motor  vehicles.  The  aim  of  this 
proposal  is  to  "align"  the  limit  values  for  this  category  of  vehicles  with  those  for 
passenger  cars  laid  down  in  Directive  94/12/EC  in  order  to  apply  the  same  degree  of 
stringency  to  all  categories  of  vehicle. 

The  European  Parliament  adopted 
20  September  1995,  subject  to  18  amendments. 

the  proposal  at 

the 

first 

reading  on 

The  Commission  accepted  four  of  these  amendments  designed  to  clarify  the  bases  of 
the  proposal. 

The  Commission  did  not,  however,  accept  the  other  amendments.  These  come  into 
the  following  categories: 

limit  values  applicable 

the  measures  already  adopted 

light 
The  amendments  designed  to  make  the 
commercial  vehicles  more  stringent.  These  amendments  go  beyond  the  mere 
extension  of 
in 
Directive  94/1 2/EC,  which  is  the  purpose  of  this  Directive.  The  measures 
enabling  further  progress  to  be  made  will  be  proposed  in  the  context  of  a 
subsequent  stage,  which  will  correspond  to  the  "Stage  2 0 0 0"  phase  of 
emission  reductions  for  passenger  vehicles  based, for  its  part,  on the  Auto/Oil 
programme. 

for  passenger  cars 

to 

The  amendment  abolishing  the  additional  period  of  one  year  for  adaptation  of 
low-powered  vehicles.  The  vehicles  in  this  category  are  subject  to  a  special 
test  procedure  (sometimes called the  "Panda" cycle)  which  will  be  discontinued 
in  1 997.  An  additional  period  is necessary  to  permit  adaptation  to  the  change 
of  cycle  and  to  more  stringent  limit  values. 

The  amendments  designed  to  specify  31  December  1 995  as the  final  date  for 
submission  by  the  Commission  of  its  proposals  for  "Stage  2 0 0 0 ".  The  date  in 
Article  4  of  the  proposal,  i.e.  30  June  1996,  is  more  realistic. 

The  amendments  changing  the  specific  rules  on tax  incentives.  The  proposed 
framework  of 
those  already  adopted 
rules  merely  confirm 
Directive  94/12/EC  on  passenger  cars,  and  it  would  not  be  appropriate  to 
amend  them  in  the  context  of  this  proposal.  However,  the  situation  will  be 
reviewed on presentation of the proposals for  reducing  passenger  car  emissions 
from  the  year  2000,  particularly  in  the  light  of  the  results  of  the  Auto/Oil 
programme. 

the 

in 

The  amendments  concerning  amalgamation  of  categories  II  and  III  for  light 
commercial  vehicles.  The  Commission  examined this  possibility  when  drawing 
up  its  proposal,  but  rejected  it  owing  to  the  considerable  technical  differences 
between  the  vehicles  of  the  t wo  categories,  which  necessitate  the  application 
of  separate  limit  values. 

Finally,  the  amendments  concerning  provisions  not  covered  by  this  Directive, 
in  particular  those  on  inspection  and  maintenance  of  vehicles  in  service,  the 

granting  of  tax  incentives  to  remove  old  vehicles  from  circulation  and  the 
application  of  emission  standards  to  old  vehicles  from  the  year  2 0 0 0. 

The  Commission therefore  accepts  Parliament's  first  four  amendments  to  its  proposal 
and  recommends  that  the  Council  follow  suit  so  that  a  common  posmon  can  be 
adopted  at  the  Council  meetrng  of  Environment  Mfnrsters on  1 8 / Î9  December  1995. 

Amended  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 

COMMISSION  TEXT m 

AMENDMENTS 

Fourth  recital 

is 

of 

for 

the 

that 
in 

recognized 
transport 

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

laid  down 

increase 

the 

in 

is 

of 

that 
in 

transport  will  cause  a 

recognized 
transport 

the 
Whereas 
it 
development 
the 
Community  has  entailed  significant 
constraints for the environment  and it is 
also agreed that the future  development 
further 
QÎ 
the 
in 
increase 
official 
environment: 
estimates  of 
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; 

whereas 
increase 

constraints 

the 

for 

in 

Fifth  recital 

that 

programme 

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

and 

the 

that 

programme 

Whereas  the  Commission  has  adopted 
a  European  programme  on  emissions, 
fuels  and  engine  technologies  (EPEFE); 
w as 
whereas 
established to  ensure that  proposals  for 
future  directives  on pollutant  emissions 
seek 
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; 

the  best  solutions 

for 

m 

OJ  C  3 9 0,  3 1 . 1 2 . 1 9 9 4,  p.  26. 

Seventh  recital,  last  clause 

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

them  orme  again  at 

Whereas  it  is  necessary  to  harmonize 
the  standards 
tight  commercial 
vehicles  with  those  for  passenger  cars 
so  as 
least  as 
stringent  as those  for  passenger  cars; 

to  make 

them  at 

for 

Eighth  recital 

the  Community 

Whereas  the  work  undertaken  by  the 
Commission in this field has shown  that 
the  best  technology  currently  available 
to 
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 
the  check  on 
the 
conformity  of  production,  since 
amended  method  of  sampling  and 
statistical  evaluation 
the 
tolerances  allowed  for  the  limit  values 
set  under  previous  stages  of  Directive 
70/220/EEC; 

types  and  to 

removes 

the  Community 

Whereas  the  work  undertaken  by  the 
Commission in this field has shown  that 
the  best  technology  currently  available 
to 
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 
the  approval  of  new 
apply  both  to 
the  check  on 
vehicle 
conformity  of  production,  since 
the 
amended  method  of  sampling  and 
the 
statistical  evaluation 
tolerances  allowed  for  the  limit  values 
set 
of 
previous 
Directive  70/220/EEC; 

types  and  to 

removes 

stages 

under 

ISSN  0254-1475 

COM(95) 540 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

01  14 

Catalogue number  : CB-CO-95-581-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-95528-7 

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