S&D 'outraged' as member states double limits on emissions

S&D MEPs have expressed outrage at the decision taken by EU governments to increase the limits of emissions from diesel cars.

Member states governments representatives today decided on new limits for nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from diesel cars that are double the "Euro 6" levels agreed back in 2007.

S&D Group vice-president responsible for sustainable development, Kathleen van Brempt, said, "I am shocked that European governments are ready to authorize the production of cars that will be more pollutant. This is a scandal.

"Member states obviously refuse to learn from the VW scandal and they show no responsibility for the health of their citizens. It seems that for member states, the interests of the industry are more important than the health of our citizens.

S&D Group spokesperson responsible for sustainable development, Matthias Groote, added, "The S&D Group has been calling for a Real Driving Emissions (RDE) test procedure for years, which needs to be applied to vehicles from no later than 2017 onwards with no new loopholes in the form of conformity factors or deviation margins to ensure that new diesel cars on EU roads finally meet the "Euro 6" limit agreed almost 10 years ago.

"It is outrageous that after the emissions scandal the EU governments now come forward with such an unambitious conformity factor of 2.1 from September 2017 onwards and a following 1.5 by 2020 without time limitation.

"Lastly, the emissions scandal should be seen as an opportunity for the European car industry to invest in more targeted R&D in order to move faster towards our next step: the electrification of the European car fleet."

S&D Group spokesperson on this issue, Miriam Dalli, stressed, "The decision taken today by The Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles (TCMV) is unacceptable. We refuse to endorse the decision of the Commission and the member states on this critical issue, because through this decision we are regressing from the decision taken eight years ago on emissions limits instead of improving the current situation.

"The loopholes of the current testing regime are numerous. Real emissions are highly exceeding the air pollution standards and we want to ensure that the new real driving emissions test solves this situation.

"We must reach the 80 mg/km NOx emissions limit as soon as possible. Our citizens across the entire EU deserve this and we have a duty to deliver it."