Debates promise to be tense in the European Parliament as Euro 7 divides. The standard must replace the current regulation, in force for 13 years, “Euro 6”. With Euro 7, the idea is to more strictly control emissions of nitrogen oxides and fine particles from vehicles, to make them cleaner and combat air pollution. Since 2018, the European Commission has been working on a proposal, which it made public in November 2022.
The project had already disappointed many environmental associations who considered it very insufficient. “Some will criticize the Commission for being too ambitious, others for not being ambitious enough,” explained Thierry Breton at the end of the presentation of the text. This is proof that we have found the right balance.
“We offer good visibility to the automotive sector, both for the national market and for the international market,” continued the European Commissioner for the Internal Market.
The automobile lobby in action
A balance that automakers have not yet found to their liking. Regarding the Euro 7 standard, they are unanimous: it simply has to be forgotten. None of them want to spend time and money on this new standard when they are all fully committed to converting it to electricity.
A new standard requires transforming cars and that is expensive, very expensive, if we believe Luca de Meo. According to calculations by the CEO of Renault, also president of ACEA, the powerful European automobile lobby, the Euro 7 standard could cost “thousands of euros per car.” “At Renault, this could even lead to the closure of four factories in the short term,” he explained last February.
Thus, behind the scenes, the automobile lobby worked to lighten the European Commission’s initial proposal, as a survey published by the VoxEurop website reveals in detail. ACEA members held numerous meetings with senior officials of the commission and also got their arguments heard in political circles.
“The ACEA music is heard almost everywhere, among all the actors in the French automobile industry,” explains Marie Chéron, head of vehicle policy at the Transport and Environment organization, which has been singing the automobile refrain for several months. . lobby: there are too many rules, too many rules.
A Euro 6 standard in disguise
ACEA’s policy is bearing fruit. In September, under the leadership of France and Italy in particular, the 27 voted in favor of a lighter version of the Euro 7 standard.
“It’s a Euro 6 standard in disguise,” says Marie Chéron.
The polluting emission limits for passenger cars, as well as the test conditions, remain unchanged, only being tightened for trucks and buses.
The calendar has changed: initially planned for 2025, the Euro 7 standard should not finally come into force until 2030. “The text has completely collapsed,” protests Marie Chéron, “it is a total failure for Europe.” Along the same lines is Karima Delli, who has been following the case since the Dieselgate scandal in 2015. The president of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee believes that with this new version of Euro 7 “we will continue to poison people.” MEPs will vote this Thursday at 11:00 a.m. Your vote will be “crucial,” warns Karima Delli.
Source: BFM TV
