Brussels, 30/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - The Community regulation on “type approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions and access to vehicle repair information” was been formally adopted on 30 May, following the Council's acceptance of all the European Parliament's first reading amendments (see EUROPE 9328).
This regulation harmonises the technical requirements for the type approval of motor vehicles with regard to emissions, progressively imposing stricter limit values on atmospheric pollutant emissions, particularly nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons and diesel particles, which are ozone precursors. The introduction of Euro 5 and Euro 6, to improve the environmental performance of cars and vans lies at the heart of this regulation. The aim is to respond to the requirements of the thematic strategy on air pollution, which requires the further reduction of emissions from transport in the EU.
The regulation establishes a standardised method of measuring fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions of vehicles necessary to ensure that no technical barriers to trade arise between member states. It also provides for supplying customers and users with objective and precise information. Member states will be allowed to use tax incentives to speed up the marketing of vehicles which meet the requirements of the regulation.
The regulation also provides for information on repairs to vehicles to be as easy to access for independent repairers as for main dealers and official repair shops based on the OASIS standard, which is expected ultimately to lead to an ISO standard. The regulation will come into effect on the third day following its publication and will apply 18 months from that date. (an)