Air pollution: compression ignition engines by non-road mobile machinery

PURPOSE : to amend Directive 97/68/EC in order to improve air quality. CONTENT : requirements concerning emissions of air pollutants from compression ignition (CI) engines intended for use in non-road mobile machinery and with an engine power of 18-560 kW are covered by Directive 97/68/EC. The Directive includes two stages of emission standards. Stage I standards have already entered into force for all power bands and Stage II standards will enter into force between 31 December 2000 and 31 December 2003 depending on the power band. In December 2000, the Commission, in accordance with recital (5) of the said Directive, presented a proposal to include small (19 kW or below) spark-ignition (petrol) engines within its scope. Furthermore, in accordance with Directive 97/68/EC, this proposal provides for a tightening of the emission standards for compression ignition engines. The Commission should submit a proposal for a further reduction in limit values based on the techniques generally available for controlling polluting emissions and the air quality situation. According to the conclusions of the Auto-Oil programme, additional measures should be taken to address ozone formation (the emission of nitrogen oxides, NOx, and volatile organic compounds, VOCs,) and particulate emissions. The proposed legislation will also help support the promotion of inland waterway shipping and railways as environmentally friendly modes of transport;. It should also ensure that all future diesel engines are equipped with particulate filters; define a reference fuel that reflects the fuel market situation; introduce durability requirements to avoid deterioration of emission performance; introduce special arrangements for equipment manufacturers to give them time to design their products and to handle small series production.�