European Parliament votes in favor of weakened Euro 7 standard

The European Parliament expresses its approval for a previously proposed, milder variant of the Euro 7 emissions standard, reports Automotive News Europe. For passenger cars, this roughly means that the Euro 6 standard is adhered to when it comes to exhaust fumes. This will remain in force until July 1, 2030 for passenger cars and vans, and until July 1, 2031 for buses and trucks. In the original plan, the rules for passenger cars and vans would be tightened as of July 1, 2025, and for heavier vehicles as of July 1, 2031.

The ‘weakening’ is of course not because they in the EU want us to emit as much as possible, but because it would take an unreasonable amount of time and effort for car manufacturers to comply with the previously proposed, stricter Euro 7 standard. The reasoning goes that this energy would be better spent on the development of emission-free (electric) cars, in which a lot of investment is already being made. Opponents of the adjustment call that the stricter rules are necessary for public health. It is worth noting that this is not just about pure charity, because manufacturers of catalytic converters and other emission-reducing facilities are also in this camp.

The European Parliament states that it has looked at the matter from both sides and therefore agrees with the above reasoning. MP Alexandr Vondra puts it this way: “It would be counterproductive to come up with environmental policies that harm both European industry and its residents.”

The EU would not be the EU if another months-long process would not now follow. This should lead to a final version of the amended plan, which the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Council will then vote on again in early 2024.