Regulation 2009/595 - Type-approval of motor vehicles and engines with respect to emissions from heavy duty vehicles (Euro VI) and on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 188/1

The internal market comprises an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital must be ensured. To that end a comprehensive Community type-approval system for motor vehicles is in place. The technical requirements for the type-approval of motor vehicles with regard to emissions should therefore be harmonised to avoid requirements that differ from one Member State to another and to ensure a high level of environmental protection.

This Regulation is a new separate regulation in the context of the Community type-approval procedure under Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 September 2007 establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles (Framework Directive) (3). Therefore, Annexes IV, VI and XI to that Directive should be amended accordingly.

Following the request of the European Parliament, a new regulatory approach has been introduced in Community vehicle legislation. This Regulation should therefore lay down only fundamental provisions on vehicle emissions, whereas the technical specifications should be laid down by implementing measures adopted under the comitology procedures.

The Sixth Community Environment Action Programme adopted by Decision No 1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 2002 (4) establishes the need to reduce pollution to levels which minimise harmful effects on human health, paying particular attention to sensitive populations and to the environment as a whole. Community legislation has established appropriate standards for ambient air quality for the protection of human health and sensitive individuals in particular, as well as for national emission ceilings. Following its communication of 4 May 2001, which established the ‘Clean Air For Europe (CAFE) programme’, the Commission adopted another communication on 21 September 2005 entitled ‘Thematic strategy for air pollution’. One of the conclusions of that thematic strategy is that further reductions in emissions from the transport sector (air, maritime and land transport), from households and from the energy, agricultural and industrial sectors are needed to achieve EU air quality objectives. In this context, the task of reducing vehicle emissions should be approached as part of an overall strategy. The Euro VI standards are one of the measures designed to reduce the actual in-use emissions of air pollutants such as particulate pollutants (PM) as well as ozone precursors such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and hydrocarbons.

Achieving EU air quality objectives requires a continuous effort to reduce vehicle emissions. For that reason, industry should be provided with clear information on future emission limit values and should be allowed an appropriate period of time in which to attain them and pursue the...