Increase the crackdown on diesel cars. From next October 1st 2025 a provision will come into force that will block the circulation of Euro 5 diesel vehicles in the heart of the Po Valley. Until April 15 2026, the circulation of these vehicles will be blocked in municipalities with more than 30 thousand inhabitants of Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna. A measure that, according to estimates, will involve over a million cars, with a profound impact on the daily life of many cities.
Why the stop to Euro 5 diesel
The reason for this radical decision is clear: counteract critical levels of pollution atmospheric conditions that have long afflicted the Po Valley. The decree 121 of 2023 requires the four northern regions to adopt rigorous measures to comply with European parameters and respond to the infringement procedures opened against Italy for excess fine dust and CO2.
The limitations will concern weekdays, from Monday to Saturday, from 8:30 to 18:30. And the grip will become increasingly tight: from 2026, the block will actually start from September 1st, extending the stop period.
Stop Euro 5 diesel: the regions involved
The ban will hit the Italian car fleet hard, whose average age is 13 years. According to data from Aci and Centro Studi AutoScout24, almost half of the vehicles in circulation (44,5%) fall into the Euro 4 emission class or lower, making our car fleet one of the oldest and most potentially polluting in Europe.
The numbers are important: in Piedmont approximately 250 thousand vehicles will be stopped, equal to 8% of the cars in circulation, especially in Turin, Alessandria, Novara, Asti, Cuneo and Biella. In Veneto over 350 thousand cars will be subject to the block, while in Lombardia cities like Milan, Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona and Monza will see hundreds of thousands of Euro 5 diesel cars stop. Even theEmilia Romagna and Lombardy is involved, with a similar impact in the most populous urban areas.
Euro 5 Diesel Car Block: Penalties and Exceptions
Who will come? caught circulating with a Euro 5 diesel car during the prohibited time slots and days you will risk fines from 168 to 679 euros. In case of repeat offences, the penalty may include the suspension of the driving licence for 15 to 30 days.
In order to try to mitigate the impact on families and workers, the Regions have introduced the device “Move-In”: a GPS system that allows you to travel a limited number of kilometers per year without incurring a ban. Once you exceed the limit, however, circulation will be prohibited until the expiration of the measure.
Government on a war footing
The decree has immediately schained strong political controversy. The Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini, called the measure a “madness” imposed by the European Commission as part of the Green Deal. Salvini announced a amendment to the Infrastructure decree to try to block or modify the measure, arguing that millions of citizens risk being left without cars and that the ecological transition must be guided by the market, not imposed with bans.
The decree, in fact, must be definitively approved by July 19, 2025, and only then will it be known with certainty whether the ban will come into force or will be delayed or modified.
The alternatives between incentives and artificial intelligence
In the meantime, regions and the Government are evaluating alternative measures to reduce pollution without paralyzing the mobility of millions of citizens. Among the hypotheses on the table are incentives to purchase greener vehicles, investments in public mobility and an innovative use of theartificial intelligence to optimize traffic and reduce consumption.
The stated objective is Finding a balance between environmental protection and social sustainability, avoiding measures that risk creating daily inconveniences for workers and families. But the clock is ticking, and the date of October 1st is inexorably approaching.
