Air pollution: emissions from motor vehicles, Auto-oil programme (amend. Directive 70/220/EEC)

The committee adopted a report by Mr Bernd LANGE (PES, D) on the measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles (mainly passenger cars) amending Council Directives 70/156/EEC and 70/220/EEC This report called for the use of tax incentives to encourage early compliance with tough new emission limits, the replacement or retrofitting of older vehicles, the beefing up of emission test procedures, including cold start emissions, and the encouragement of alternative fuels. Manufacturers should not be able to exclude repairers or breakdown services from access to diagnostic systems. A binding two-stage approach required mandatory emission limits to be imposed from 2000 and 2005. "An adequate normative and fiscal framework should be created as soon as possible to accelerate the introduction into the market of vehicles with innovative propulsion technologies and vehicles which use alternative fuels with a low environmental impact," it said. This report noted:"there has been absolutely no transparency and no participation by social groupings, political decision-makers or relevant non-governmental organizations".�