European Union
Member States and Regulatory Authorities
The European Union (EU) has been formed in a process of integration between European countries which progressed through several waves of accession and one incident of reduction (2020), as follows:
- 1958: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands
- 1973: Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom
- 1981: Greece
- 1986: Spain, Portugal
- 1995: Austria, Finland, Sweden
- 2004: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia
- 2007: Bulgaria, Romania
- 2013: Croatia
- 2020: Brexit—United Kingdom leaves the EU
All Member States within the EU observe the same emission standards from internal combustion engines. European regulations are developed and enforced by the following institutions:
- European Parliament: Elected by the peoples of the Member States.
- Council: Representing the governments of the Member States. The Council of Environment Ministers oversees the area of environmental regulations.
- Commission: The executive and the body having the right to initiate legislation.
Regulated Engines and Vehicles
The following categories of new engines and/or vehicles are subject to emission standards in the EU:
- Cars and light trucks
- Heavy-duty truck and bus engines
- Engines used in non-road mobile machinery (NRMM), including non-road spark ignited engines
- Stationary engines such as those used for power generation
- Two- and three-wheel vehicles (motorcycles) [3570][3820]
Carbon dioxide emissions of from passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (once controlled through voluntary agreements with the automotive industry) have been regulated since 2012. CO2 emissions from selected categories of heavy-duty vehicles (HDV) are regulated from 2025.
Emissions from in-use vehicles are controlled in a number of European cities and towns through Low Emission Zone (LEZ) programs, governed by country level or local LEZ regulations. EU countries are also required to implement periodic technical inspections (PTI) of vehicles used on public roads, which include safety and emission tests.
Vehicle Categories
For the purpose of emission standards and other vehicle regulations, vehicles are classified into categories, as listed in Table 1. Further details, such as the types of bodywork and codifications pertinent to the particular vehicle categories, can be found in the EU legislation [3569].
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| M | Motor vehicles with at least four wheels designed and constructed for the carriage of passengers |
| M1 | Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of passengers and comprising no more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat |
| M2 | Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of passengers, comprising more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat, and having a maximum mass (“technically permissible maximum laden mass”) not exceeding 5 tonnes |
| M3 | Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of passengers, comprising more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat, and having a maximum mass exceeding 5 tonnes |
| N | Motor vehicles with at least four wheels designed and constructed for the carriage of goods |
| N1 | Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of goods and having a maximum mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes |
| N2 | Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of goods and having a maximum mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes |
| N3 | Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of goods and having a maximum mass exceeding 12 tonnes |
| O | Trailers (including semi-trailers) |
| O1 | Trailers with a maximum mass not exceeding 0.75 tonnes |
| O2 | Trailers with a maximum mass exceeding 0.75 tonnes but not exceeding 3.5 tonnes |
| O3 | Trailers with a maximum mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 10 tonnes |
| O4 | Trailers with a maximum mass exceeding 10 tonnes |
| G* | Off-Road Vehicles |
| * Combined designation—Symbol G is combined with either symbol M or N. For example, a vehicle of category N1 which is suited for off-road use is designated as N1G. | |
Light commercial vehicles Category N1 are further divided into three weight classes as shown in Table 2. This classification is based on the Reference Mass, defined as the mass of the vehicle in running order less the uniform mass of the driver of 75 kg, and increased by a uniform mass of 100 kg.
| Class | Reference Mass, RW | |
|---|---|---|
| Euro 1-2 | Euro 3+ | |
| I | RW ≤ 1250 kg | RW ≤ 1305 kg |
| II | 1250 kg < RW ≤ 1700 kg | 1305 kg < RW ≤ 1760 kg |
| III | 1700 kg < RW | 1760 kg < RW |
Category M2 and M3 vehicles are further divided into classes depending on passenger capacity and provisions for accommodating standing passengers, Table 3. Class I, II and III are for vehicles with a capacity exceeding 22 passengers in addition to the driver and Class A and B are for vehicles with capacity not exceeding 22 passengers in addition to the driver [4369].
| Class | Capacity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| I | Exceeding 22 passengers in addition to the driver | Vehicles constructed with areas for standing passengers, to allow frequent passenger movement |
| II | Vehicles constructed principally for the carriage of seated passengers, and designed to allow the carriage of standing passengers in the gangway and/or in an area which does not exceed the space provided for two double seats | |
| III | Vehicles constructed exclusively for the carriage of seated passengers | |
| A | Not exceeding 22 passengers in addition to the driver | Vehicles designed to carry standing passengers; a vehicle of this class has seats and shall have provision for standing passengers |
| B | Vehicles not designed to carry standing passengers; a vehicle of this class has no provision for standing passengers |