On Monday, October 9, 2023, nearly a dozen major European cities, including Paris, Rome and Brussels, jointly submitted a petition to the European Parliament demanding tougher air quality and emissions standards.

The move comes as a new regulation on passenger car emissions, adopted by 27 member states, is being discussed with the European Parliament, which has yet to clarify its position on the issue.

Will the Euro 7 standard really see the light of day?

The European Commission’s proposal in November 2022 was aimed at significantly reducing emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and fine particles from vehicles. However, member states, in particular under the influence of France and Italy, decided not to strengthen the current standards, fearing that it could hinder manufacturers’ investment in electric vehicles. Mayors of large cities who signed the petition are contesting this decision.

City mayors, including Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, who initiated this initiative, believe that the proposal, adopted by EU member states last September, is a regression and does not take into account EU standards. The World Health Organization (WHO) regarding air quality and engine emissions of vehicles.

Rome, Brussels, Zagreb, Križevci (Croatia), Bordeaux, Montpellier, Besançon and the metropolis of Lyon joined the petition initiated by Anne Hidalgo. They claim that as representatives of large European cities, where 75% of the continent’s population lives, they cannot accept such a democratic objection and scandal, demanding standards that meet WHO standards.

This petition concerns the Euro 7 standard, a European emission standard designed to reduce pollution related to motoring. It is due to enter into force in 2025 to replace the Euro 6 standard. Euro 7 will allow all vehicles, whether private or heavy trucks, to be classified according to the level of pollutant emissions, regardless of engine type.

Is the standard really important?

The mayors who signed the petition accuse Europe of giving in to the demands and interests of the car industry instead of forcing those manufacturers to adhere to stricter standards. They warn that failure to tighten standards today will doom them to suffer emissions from these polluting vehicles by 2050.

They also point out that if the Euro 7 standard were adopted as it is, it would create “pollution permit” which would be exempt from WHO standards, which, in their opinion, would become a new scandal in the field of health care on a European scale.

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