Emission limits and type-approval for internal combustion engines for non-road mobile machinery: transitional provisions in order to address the impact of COVID-19 crisis

The European Parliament adopted by 653 votes to 17, with 11 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down temporary measures with regard to the time-limits applicable to the collection, verification and examination phases provided for in Regulation (EU) 2019/788 on the European citizens' initiative in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The main purpose of the proposal is, for exceptional reasons in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, to postpone by 12 months the dates for the production and placing on the market of non-road mobile machinery and tractors equipped with transition engines.

The position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure amended the Commission proposal.

The amended text specifies that the regulation should enter into force as a matter of urgency on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and should apply from 1 July 2020.

Such application is justified by the unpredictable and sudden nature of the spread of COVID-19 and by the need to ensure legal certainty and equal treatment of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), whether they produce non-road mobile machinery before or after the date of entry into force of the Regulation.