ACEA: European Parliament Euro 7 vote "falls short"

Brussels – The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has given a guarded welcome to the European Parliament’s latest vote on Euro 7 pollutant standards.*

While the decision better reflects industry’s concerns compared to European Commission proposals, but further improvements are still needed, ACEA stated 12 Oct.

“We have long been advocating for Euro 7 targets and testing conditions that do not make vehicles unaffordable nor jeopardise industry competitiveness for little or no environmental benefit,” said Sigrid de Vries, ACEA director general.

De Vries went on to highlight the “huge progress” made by European vehicle manufacturers in reducing pollutant emissions from road transport over the past years.

“It is simply incorrect to describe Euro 6/VI vehicles as ‘highly polluting’ as some stakeholders do. Euro 6/VI regulations have delivered and are continuing to do so,” continued the ACEA leader.

According to the association, between the first Euro standard and the first version of Euro 6, emissions were slashed by over 90%.

Euro 7, it argues, will deliver marginal further benefits, but far greater air quality improvements would be achieved by replacing older vehicles on EU roads, in parallel with the electrification transition.

Ahead of the plenary Parliament vote next month, ACEA called on MEPs “to vote for a sensible and proportionate Euro 7 regulation.”

*The Euro 7 standards rules will be the first worldwide emission standards to move beyond regulating exhaust pipe emissions and set additional limits for particulate emissions from brakes and rules on microplastic emissions from tires.