Air pollution: CO₂ emissions, fuel consumption of N1 light commercial vehicles (amend. Directives 70/156/EEC and 80/1268/EEC)

PURPOSE : to amend Directive 80/1268/EEC, as last amended by Directive 1999/100/EC, in order to extend the scope of the Directive to N1 vehicles (light commercial vehicles). LEGISLATIVE ACT : Directive 2004/3/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directives 70/156/EEC and 80/1268/EEC as regards the measurement of carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption of N1 vehicles. CONTENT : Council Directive 80/1268/EEC relating to the carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption of motor vehicles is one of the separate directives under the type-approval procedure laid down by Council Directive 70/156/EEC. Under the Community strategy to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from passenger cars, the harmonised measurement methodology, as laid down in Directive 80/1268/EEC, has been used as a basic instrument. With a view to permitting subsequent measures to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in the sector of light commercial vehicles, this Directive extends the scope of that Directive to include vehicles of category N1 as well. These are light utility vehicles which do not exceed 3.5 tonnes in weight. The Commission has carried out a study to investigate the possibilities and implications of a harmonised procedure for measuring the specific CO2 emissions from vehicles of category N1. In this respect, it is considered technically acceptable and most cost-effective to apply the existing emissions test of Council Directive 70/220/EEC also to the measurement of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for that category of vehicles. Many small-volume manufacturers buy from suppliers engines which are type-approved with respect to emissions according to Council Directive 88/77/EEC. A considerable number of those manufacturers do not have the necessary infrastructure or expertise to perform the exhaust or CO2 emissions testing. Therefore this Directive grants an exemption for small-volume manufacturers, since the additional costs they would incur in order to comply with this Directive would be disproportionately high. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 19/02/2004. DATE OF TRANSPOSITION : 19/02/2005.�