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

OBJECTIVE: in accordance with the results of the Auto-Oil programme, the proposal for a directive seeks to tighten emissions standards applicable to private cars and enhance them by adding fresh requirements. SUBSTANCE: the proposal for a European Parliament and Council directive provides for a two-stage reduction in limit values for exhaust emissions: (1) a 20-40% reduction in the various pollutants (CO, HC, NOx, plus particulates for diesel) applicable, as from the year 2000, to new types of vehicle and, as from 2001, to all new vehicles; (2) indicative limit values applicable as from 1 January 2005. Before 31 December 1999 the Commission will submit to the Council and Parliament a report on the industrial feasibility of enforcing these limits, in the light of the latest technological progress. In addition, the proposal: - provides for a revision of the current test procedure for evaporative emissions in order to represent real conditions more faithfully and exploit state-of-the art laboratory techniques; - stipulates that private petrol-driven cars should be equipped with an on-board diagnostic system (OBD) in an effort to ensure that emissions remain within legal limits throughout the life of the vehicle; - provides for new measures to improve the testing of the conformity of motor vehicles with durability requirements (as part of the EC type-approval procedure). �