The European Union has taken the final step in the process of adopting the new standards Euro 7. The EU Council formally adopted the new regulation, which for the first time covers exhaust emissions from all types of road vehicles: cars, vans and trucks. The regulation confirms for cars and vans the current emission limits of its predecessor (Euro 6), but includes several new features. For example, particulate matter from tyre and brake friction has been included. In addition, stricter requirements are introduced for other pollutants, special provisions for the durability of vehicles and batteries, and even an environmental passport for each type of vehicle.
The next steps
Once approved by the Council, only one purely bureaucratic step remains before the new legislation comes into force. The text will have to be signed by the Presidents of the European Parliament and the Council itself and then published in the Official Journal of the European Union. It will then enter into force on the 20th day after publication and will become applicable after 30 months (the dates depend on the type of vehicles concerned).
