How did the car industry manage to undermine EU pollution limits?

The dangers of technocratic decision-making on public health and the environment

Despite an EU law limiting the amount of pollution that cars could emit, the car industry - together with complicit EU governments - managed not only to delay the implementation of the rules, but to insert massive loopholes that essentially rendered the new pollution limits meaningless. How this happened is a scandal that is yet to be fixed.

New CO2 emissions standards for trucks and heavy goods vehicles

Quote from Bas Eickhout MEP

Today, the European Parliament voted by a large majority to approve the new CO2 emissions standards for trucks and other heavy goods vehicles. The CO2 emission standards for new heavy-duty vehicles regulation will see new trucks and heavy goods vehicles reduce their CO2 emissions by 15% by 2025, and...

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 15-19 April 2019

Greens/EFA priorities for the plenary week included Climate change and Greta Thunberg, the rule of law, Frontex - European Border and Coast Guard, CO2 emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles, Whistleblower protection, EU-US trade talks, the investigation into conflict of interest surround Czech PM Andrej Babiš, Copyright,...

Parliament vote on mobility risks creating second class workers

Mobility Package

The majority of Members of the European Parliament, have voted in favour of exemptions for a range of transport journeys from the Posting of Workers Directive.

Mobility package vote postponed

Quote from Karima Delli MEP

The President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, has just announced that the mobility package will be referred back to the Transport Committee and that the vote will be postponed until the plenary session on the 3rd and 4th of April.

What's coming up in Parliament

Greens/EFA priorities - plenary session 25-28 March 2019

A look ahead to the March II plenary session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Greens/EFA priority issues on the agenda

First EU limits for heavy-duty vehicles vital to reduce pollution

CO2 emissions

Trucks and heavy goods vehicles will have to reduce their CO2 emissions by 15% by 2025, and by 30% by 2030, compared with 2019 levels. Thanks to the pressure of the European Parliament, the targets for 2030 are now legally binding. In 2022, the Commission will also have to propose post-2030 targets in line with the Paris Agreement.

The Greens/EFA Co-Presidents' briefing

12.02.2019

LIVE press conference 12 February 2019 10:30-10:50

Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts presents the key issues of the plenary session and of the European agenda for the Greens/EFA group

What's coming up in Parliament

Greens/EFA priorities

A look ahead to the February plenary session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Greens/EFA priority issues on the agenda

EU governments must abolish modern slavery on Europe's roads

Mobility Package/Transport

"It is a victory for trade unions and all those working towards fairer working conditions that the European Commission and a cross-party group of MEPs were unable to pursue their anti-social aims in the Transport Committee. " said Keith Taylor

Parliament is the driving force behind stronger reductions on CO2 emissions for cars

CO2 emissions

"The kind of effort showed by EU governments is the equivalent of switching from fifth to fourth gear while keeping your foot on the accelerator; it'll slow you down a little but it won't stop the car from crashing. Yet, despite reluctance from the capitals, the European Parliament has proven that it is the only institution in the driving seat on the road to reaching the Paris climate goals.", said Bas Eickhout

Ruling stops license to pollute

ECJ decision Euro6

The General Court of the European Court of Justice issued a ruling on the amendment of the Euro6 norms and annuls the conformity factor in the RDE legislation. The European Commission watered down the limits for NOx emissions by introducing a conformity factor.