The I.Talia, along with others seven countries (France, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary) say no to the Euro 7 standards for cars. In a informal document sent to the European Commission and other European capitals, the eight countries contest the new rules regarding the limits on polluting emissions for vehicles. The proposal is criticized by defining it "unrealistic" and harmful to the automotive industry with “negative effects on investments in the sector already engaged in the transition to electricity”. Meanwhile, the European car manufacturers (Acea) are sounding the alarm about costs.
No to any new exhaust emission regulations
"There We oppose any new exhaust emission regulations (including new testing requirements or new emissions limits) for cars and vans as it would divert industry investment to targetgoal of the 2035” reads the document. The eight nations ask to cancel all discussions on the Euro 7 legislation, anticipating the idea of a vote against in the Commission. Among the signatories of the document, the absences di Germany e Portugal. Germany did not sign the document despite the reservations expressed by Transport Minister Volker Wissing perhaps due to the German government's lack of a unified position on the issue or to avoid public exposure due to the Dieselgate scandal while Portugal, which had been considered a possible member of the group of nations opposed to the legislation, has currently withdrawn.
Possible postponement of the entry into force of Euro 7
Optimism filters from European circles since the No to the legislation would not be definitive. The eight countries, in fact, would not be against the arrival of the Euro 7 standard but instead they would ask for more time for its application. Currently, the regulations expects new emissions rules to come into into force on 1 July 2025 for cars and vans, and the 1 ° July 2027 for heavy vehicles. However, the signatories consider this timeframe to be "far from realistic" and propose to replace it with a period of three years from the adoption of the regulatory package (five years in the case of heavy-duty vehicles). Any postponement of the entry into force would provide automakers with the necessary time to develop and implement suitable technical solutions to reduce emissions such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. This time window, which would start from the day of approval, could thus mitigate the rigid positions of the eight nations.
Evaluate the impact of rules on consumer behavior
For signers of the document, only one balanced legislation will be able to make a positive contribution to environmental protection without jeopardizing the future of the European automotive industry. Efforts to further reduce emissions would be undermined by a ban on the registration of petrol and diesel cars from 2035, which would render the progress achieved through these investments obsolete. Therefore, the eight countries believe that the proposal needs to be revised to reflect the Community legislative context and the current development of methods for measuring harmful emissions, also taking into account the peculiarities of electric vehicles.
Furthermore, they require a careful assessment of the impact of the proposed Euro 7 legislation on the consumer behavior and ensure that the new emissions rules are realistic from a technological point of view and in terms of cost-benefit analysis.
Risk of rejection of the European Council
Le eight nations have the opportunity to do shipwreck the proposal to the European Council. For a law to be approved in the European Council it is necessary to obtain the support of 55% of the member states, which must also represent 65% of the European population. The eight nations together they would have the numbers to stop the legislation. In fact, France, Italy, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia represent 49% of the European population (Italy accounts for 13,72%), therefore, the 51% recorded by other countries would not be enough to ratify the law. Even the union of France, Italy and Poland alone would be enough to prevent the achievement of 65%. It remains to be seen how the European Union will respond to these requests and whether a compromise will be reached that satisfies both the needs of environmental protection and those of the automotive industry.
Acea sounds the alarm: with Euro 7 production costs higher than estimates
That (The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association), meanwhile, has launched thewarning about rising costs. According to one study conducted by Frontier Economics la proposal Euro 7 on polluting emissions, in fact, would lead to a increase in direct costs that is from 4 to 10 times higher than estimates of the European Commission reported in its assessment of the impact of Euro 7 (€180-450 for cars and vans, and €2.800 for trucks and buses). The study calculates that the costs for vehicle they would hang around to 2.000 euros for cars and vans with internal combustion engines and approx 12.000 euros for diesel trucks and buses.
These estimates are for only i direct production costs, mainly for equipment and investment and do not match purchase prices, but increase the risk of further price increases for end-users. It is therefore possible that the final cost is still higher than the figures reported in the study.
“The European automotive industry is committed to further reducing emissions for the benefit of the climate, the environment and health. However, the Euro 7 proposal is not the right way to do it, as it would have an extremely low environmental impact at an extremely high cost. The greatest health and environmental benefits will come from the transition to electrification, while replacing older vehicles on EU roads with highly efficient Euro 6/VI models,” he said. Sigrid de Vries, Director General of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).
According to Acea, in addition to the direct costs, the proposal Euro 7 will involve indirect costs, like a major fuel consumption. Over the life of a vehicle, this could increase fuel costs by 3,5% – corresponding to an extra €20.000 for long-distance trucks and €650 for cars and vans. These indirect costs, which are ignored in the Commission's impact assessment, would thus add to the total cost of owning a vehicle, putting additional financial pressure on consumers and businesses at a time of high inflation and rising energy prices.
