Activites

• 2000/02/16 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Directive 1999/96
  • OJ L 044 16.02.2000, p. 0001
• 1999/12/13 Final act signed
• 1999/12/13 End of procedure in Parliament
• 1999/11/16 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T5-0099/1999 summary

    The European Parliament adopted its resolution, drafted by Mr. Bernd LANGE (PES, D), on the Council's common position. The Parliament approved the common position without amendment.�

• 1999/11/15 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 1999/10/19 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
  • A5-0043/1999
• 1999/07/23 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #2172
• 1999/04/22 Council Meeting
  • 05734/1/1999 summary

    The Council felt it appropriate to introduce, as requested by the Parliament, a second stage of more stringent emission limit values by 2005, as well as to adopt provisions aiming at introducing before this date complementary measures on durability, on-board diagnostics and in-use conformity testing. In addition, the Council has decided to introduce a further stage applicable from October 2008 that aims for a further reduction of the NOx limit by 43% over the limit set for 2005. However, recognising that the necessary NOx reduction technology is not yet available, the Council has decided that the Commission shall report on the state of play of such technology by the end of 2002 accompanied, if necessary, by appropriate proposals. As the Council has judged that the apportionment of test cycles applicable for 2000 would no longer be valid for the stringent emission limits envisaged for 2005, it has decided that for 2005, all diesel engines must be tested on all cycles (ESC, ELR and ETC cycles) for the purpose of type approval. The Council has extended the scope of the Directive to provide for European type approval of gas-fuelled engines - liquified petroleum gas (LPG) or natural gas (NG). This is achieved through the application of the same emission limits for non-methane hydrocarbons (instead of total hydrocarbons) and methane for gas-fuelled engines. Gas engines are tested on the ETC cyle only and due to their inherently low particulate emission, gas engines are not subject to particulate measurement for the purposes of type approval. The Council has agreed to introduce specific values for extra-low emission vehicles (EEV) for use primarily in urban fleets. As has been the case in the other so-called Auto-Oil Directives, taxation provisions have been introduced and thus the Council has decided that Member States can apply tax incentives to encourage the earlier introduction of vehicles complying with future emission limits. However, incentives for vehicles complying with the more stringent standards will only be permitted from 01.10.2000 and incentives shall cease from the date of mandatory application of the legislative requirements.�

• 1999/03/11 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1999)0089 summary

    Of the 24 amendments adopted by the Parliament during its first reading, the Commission took up 10 of them either in their entirety or partially. In the Commission's opinion, it would be premature, given the current state of affairs, to propose compulsory limits and complementary technical measures to apply from 2005 without first undertaking the necessary studies. It agreed with a number of amendments that reflect the agreement reached in the Auto-Oil conciliation. The Commission accepted the essence of the amendments that provide for an extra line in the emission limit tables to contain the emissions limits for 2005, that the Commission is to propose before the end of 1999. In line with the views of the Parliament, the Commission considers that on-board diagnostic systems should become obligatory for heavy goods vehicles from October 2005. It accepts the principle of the Parliament's amendments regarding fuel quality. Lastly, the Commission accepted certain amendments which relate to studies in the future and the development of a world harmonised test cycle, the revision of reference fuels used for tests for the 2005 limits and the development of more environmentally friendly emission limits for gas fuelled vehicles.�

• #2153
• 1998/12/20 Council Meeting
• 1998/12/17 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1998)0776 summary

    The amendments proposed by the Commission seek to complete the initial proposal. They concern measures relating to the introduction of a new design of enhanced environmentally friendly vehicles (EEV) and actions which may facilitate the approval of engines and vehicles which use ethanol as a replacement fuel. The Commission has defined the target emission values which it considers compatible with the description ?enhanced environmentally friendly vehicles?. Manufacturers who so wish may apply, on a voluntary basis, for their vehicles to be certified as enhanced environmentally friendly vehicles using the administrative procedures which already apply to heavy duty vehicles/engines for ?normal? heavy duty vehicles, as defined in the proposal. The procedures and the description ?enhanced environmentally friendly vehicle? will be independent of the type of fuel used and certain technical details of the standardised definition of reference natural gases applicable to tests of enhanced environmentally friendly vehicles/engines for enhanced environmentally friendly vehicles have been finalised. This proposal also lays down the scope of application of the tax incentives intended to encourage the use of vehicles which meet the description of ?enhanced environmentally friendly vehicles?. The proposed measures amend the previous proposal based on Article 100 A of the Treaty and are now based on Article 189 A (2) of the Treaty. Specifically, the proposal: - specifies that an engine which meets the target values laid down for enhanced environmentally-friendly vehicles is also considered to meet general approval requirements applicable from 1 October 2000; - allows Member States to make provision for tax incentives for vehicles which comply with general approval requirements before the compulsory date of application to all new engines and vehicles (1 October 2001) and for vehicles which comply with the target values applicable to enhanced ecologically friendly vehicles; - indicates that, in the analysis carried out by the Commission with a view to tightening emission standards still further, the Commission will also propose suitable limits for pollutants which still have not been regulated because of the widespread introduction of new replacement fuels.�

• 1998/10/21 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0612/1998 summary

    Adopting the report by Mr Bernd Lange (PES, D), Parliament made substantial changes to the proposal for a directive on emissions from diesel engines. While approving the limit values proposed by the Commission for the year 2000, Parliament introduced stricter binding limits for 2005. Other amendments propose additional improvements for 2005. Thus, all heavy duty vehicles would have to be fitted with onboard diagnostic or measurement systems to monitor in-service exhaust emissions to permit rapid detection of any failure of a component or system. There should also be roadside checks on conformity with the emission standards adopted and emission-reducing devices should operate during the whole normal life of a vehicle. Parliament considers that Member States should be able to introduce tax incentives to encourage the early introduction of cleaner heavy-duty vehicles, before they have become obligatory, and to promote re-equipment of older vehicles to meet those requirements. Type-approval and certificates of conformity would not be granted to heavy vehicle engines which did not conform to the limit values. It might be necessary to introduce differentiated type-approval depending on the use to which the vehicles are to be put. The major problem in urban areas is emissions of soot particles, while in long-distance traffic it is the emission of nitrogen oxides. Parliament also considers that heavy vehicles are covered by the Community strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which would imply not legislation but a voluntary agreement on reduction with manufacturers. Another amendment calls on the Commission to report on emission limit values for fuel other than diesel, such as liquid petroleum gas and natural gas. Parliament also calls for restrictive measures to be adopted from 2005. �

• 1998/10/20 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 1998/10/13 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0364/1998
• #2121
• 1998/10/06 Council Meeting
  • 2121
• #2106
• 1998/06/16 Council Meeting
  • 2106
• 1998/04/03 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• #2062
• 1997/12/16 Council Meeting
  • 2062
• 1997/12/03 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1997)0627 summary

    OBJECTIVE: to amend Directive 88/77/EEC to adopt stricter limits on emissions from heavy goods vehicle engines. SUBSTANCE: the proposal steps up Community requirements regarding limits on emissions of pollutants from new diesel engines for heavy goods vehicles. These requirements are based on Directive 88/77/EEC as last amended by Directive 96/1/EC. The proposal also lays down new requirements concerning emissions of pollutants from new engines for heavy goods vehicles fuelled by natural gas (NG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The proposal is in complete harmony with the conclusions of the Auto-Oil I programme, which recommended that limits for emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulates from heavy goods vehicles should be reduced by 30% in relation to the limits applicable in 1996. The specification of a reference diesel fuel in Annex IV to the proposal follows directly from the common position of the Council of June 1997 on emissions from private cars. The proposal is also compatible with the common position of the Council of June 1997 on the quality of petrol and diesel fuels available on the market in the year 2000. �

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1997)0627
• Debate in Council: 2062
• Debate in Council: 2106
• Debate in Council: 2121
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A4-0364/1998
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0612/1998
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1998)0776
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1999)0089
• Council position published: 05734/1/1999
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A5-0043/1999
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T5-0099/1999
• : Directive 1999/96
• : OJ L 044 16.02.2000, p. 0001

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)