European Parliament approves Euro 7 emissions standard for cars

The European Parliament has approved an agreement on revised emissions rules for passenger cars, trucks and buses. However, the text remains controversial, and stakeholders remain divided over whether it is too strict or not strict enough.

The text was approved by 297 votes to 190, with 37 abstentions, after being substantially watered down compared with the original proposal. Lawmakers argued that stricter vehicle emissions standards would make cars more expensive for consumers and discourage investment needed to develop electric vehicles. Euractiv reports.

Several conservative lawmakers called the Commission's original proposal “unrealistic” on Wednesday.

“As the Parliament’s rapporteur, I strongly opposed the Commission’s original proposal. I was particularly concerned about the potential impact on industry and customers: the changes proposed by the Commission, especially those relating to vehicle testing requirements, would have increased production costs and driven up the price of small cars, which are essential for working people and rural communities,” said Alexandr Vondra of the nationalist European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group.

Compromise or greenwashing?

The agreement reached, which still needs to be approved by the Council of the EU, provides for stricter exhaust emissions rules for buses and trucks, while the existing Euro 6 emissions testing rules will remain in force.

All MEPs from the Left group and most members of the Greens and S&D groups voted against the proposal. According to environmental organisation Transport and Environment (T&E), the rules are less strict than those originally proposed by the Commission.

Nikolaj Villumsen, the Left group’s lead lawmaker, went further, calling the agreement “fake marketing” and expressing disappointment that nothing in Euro 7 differs substantially from Euro 6.

“It is truly disappointing that politicians have given in to this lobbying and prioritised record profits for carmakers at the expense of everyone’s health,” said Anna Krajinska, T&E’s vehicle emissions and air quality manager, accusing EU bodies of “greenwashing”.

Vondra, meanwhile, says it represents a “fair and reasonable compromise”, as it keeps passenger car emissions limits at the same level as Euro 6 while introducing stricter limits for truck and bus emissions in the revised text.

Pressure on truck and bus manufacturers

The automotive manufacturers’ association ACEA issued a statement after the vote saying that Euro 7 is significantly stricter on exhaust emissions from buses and trucks.

“Truck and bus manufacturers will face significantly stricter rules, even as they already face the difficult task of meeting the rapidly approaching 2030 decarbonisation targets, without the essential enabling conditions in place,” ACEA Director General Sigrid de Vries said in a statement.

According to ACEA, lawmakers should prioritise reducing the number of older vehicles on the roads and facilitating the introduction of newer vehicles with better emissions technologies.

Emissions from brakes and tyres

ACEA praised lawmakers for focusing on particulate emissions from brakes and tyres, echoing their view that as the EU transitions to cleaner vehicles, most emissions will come from sources other than exhaust pipes.

“Unfortunately, we expect the [environmental] benefits to be very limited, if there are any at all,” Krajinska said.

In addition to limiting particulate emissions from brakes and tyres, Euro 7 also mandates greater durability for electric vehicle batteries, a measure praised by ACEA. This means EV batteries will have to perform better for longer.

“The main reduction in pollution will come from non-exhaust emissions, but the benefits in this area are simply not enough to outweigh the weaknesses of the rest of the package,” Krajinska concluded.