WRITTEN QUESTION P-2080/01 by Bernd Lange (PSE) to the Commission. Emissions inside motor vehicles.
Date: 2001-07-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: atmospheric pollutant, combustion gases, health policy, motor vehicle, vehicle parts

C 364 E/240

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

(2001/C 364 E/264)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2080/01

by Bernd Lange (PSE) to the Commission

(5 July 2001)

Subject: Emissions inside motor vehicles

Increasingly I have been receiving complaints about harmful emissions inside motor vehicles, particularly
new vehicles. These emissions, caused by various synthetic materials and air conditioning systems, are said
to constitute a threat to health and affect drivers(cid:146) competence, thus causing accidents.

Is the Commission aware of this problem?

What is the Commission(cid:146)s assessment of the possible risks of emissions inside motor vehicles?

What steps is the Commission taking to prevent risks, e.g. by changing type-approval specifications?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(5 September 2001)

The Commission is aware of concerns that the air quality within a vehicle may actually be poorer than
that found at the roadside but this is really due to the vehicle following directly in the exhaust emissions
left by the vehicles in front. This may be particularly the case in areas of dense traffic congestion at slow
vehicle speeds or when travelling through a long tunnel with very poor ventilation. More and more new
vehicles are equipped with air filtering systems to alleviate such a problem when the vehicle draws air in
from the outside through its cabin ventilation system. The Commission has no information that points to
the atmosphere within a vehicle as a specific cause of traffic accidents.

The Commission is not aware of any concerns that the air quality within a vehicle is due to emissions
from the materials the vehicle is constructed from or from air conditioning systems. At the time of type-
approval, the vehicle, having been run-in by driving at least 3,000 km, undergoes a test to measure the
evaporative emissions from a vehicle as a whole, not point sources of evaporative emissions. In this way,
emissions from new plastic materials, new paint and the fuelling system are assessed over a rigorous test
regime to ensure that the overall evaporative emissions are no more than 2 grammes per test (the test
requirements are given in Annex VI to Directive 98/69/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of
13 October 1998 relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles
and amending Council Directive 70/220/EEC (1)). However, at this time the test protocol does permit
a manufacturer to propose a test method that takes into account the loss of hydrocarbons by evaporation
coming only from the fuel system of the vehicle. The Commission has no data that shows how many type-
approval authorities have accepted an evaporative emissions test on the basis of the manufacturer(cid:146)s test
method.

(1) OJ L 350, 28.12.1998.

(2001/C 364 E/265)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2081/01

by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(5 July 2001)

Subject: Leader+ programme delay

Given the significant benefits that have accrued from previous Leader programmes in fostering partnership,
sustainable agricultural enterprises, local economic growth and social inclusion throughout Ireland and the