The European Parliament adopted by 610 votes to 11 with 22 abstentions, a legislative resolution amending the proposal for a for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on type-approval of motor vehicles and engines with respect to emissions from heavy duty vehicles (Euro VI) and on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information The report had been tabled for consideration in plenary by Matthias GROOTE (PES, DE) on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
The amendments were the result of a compromise between the Council and the Parliament. The main amendments - adopted under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure - were as follows:
Scope: at the request of the manufacturer the type-approval of a completed vehicle given under this Regulation shall be extended to:
-its incomplete vehicle with a reference mass below 2610kg. Type-approvals shall be extended if the manufacturer can demonstrate that all bodywork combinations expected to be built onto the incomplete vehicle increase the reference mass of the vehicle to above 2610 kg;
-its variants and versions with a reference mass above 2380 kg provided that it also meets the requirements relating to the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption established in Regulation 715/2007/EC and its implementing measures.
Definitions: Parliament amended the definition for "on-board diagnostic" or "OBD system" which now means a system on board a vehicle or engine which has the capability of detecting malfunctions, and, if applicable, of indicating their occurrence by means of an alert system, of identifying the likely area of malfunction by means of information stored in computer memory, and of communicating that information off-board. The Commission may adapt this definition to reflect technical progress in OBD systems in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny. "Vehicle repair and maintenance information" extends to the remote diagnostic support of the vehicle. Parliament inserted definitions for "manufacturer" and "tampering".
Requirements and tests: implementing measures must also be adopted regarding the following : i) tailpipe emissions, including test cycles, the use of portable emissions measurement systems for verifying the actual in-use emissions, verifying and limiting off-cycle emissions, establishment of limits for particle number while retaining the existing ambitious environmental requirements and emissions at idling speed; ii) reference fuels such as petrol, diesel, gaseous fuels and biofuels, such as bioethanol, biodiesel and biogas; iii) correct functioning and regeneration of pollution control devices; (iv) specific provisions to ensure the correct operation of NO x control measures. Such provisions shall ensure that vehicles cannot be operated if the NO x control measures are inoperative due, for example, to lack of any required reagent, incorrect exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) flow or deactivation of EGR.
Access to information: manufacturers shall provide unrestricted and standardised access to on-board diagnostic (OBD) information, diagnostic and other equipment, tools including any relevant software and vehicle repair and maintenance information to independent operators. They must provide a standardised, secure, remote facility to enable independent repairers to complete operations which involve access to the vehicle security system. In the case of multi-stage type-approval, the manufacturer responsible for the respective type-approval shall also be responsible for communicating repair information relating to the particular stage to both the final manufacturer and independent operators. The final manufacturer shall be responsible for communicating information about the whole vehicle to independent operators.
Until the adoption of the relevant standard, for example through the work of CEN, the on-board diagnostic information and vehicle repair and maintenance information shall be presented in an easily accessible, non-discriminatory manner. That information shall be made available on the websites of manufacturers, or, if this is not feasible due to the nature of the information, in another appropriate format.
Financial incentives: whilst Parliament's competent committee had proposed deleting the provisions on financial incentives, the compromise text stated that such incentives might be offered. Those incentives shall apply to all new vehicles put on the market of the Member State concerned, which comply with this Regulation and its implementing measures. However, they shall cease to apply on 31 December 2013 at the latest.
Penalties: the types of infringements by manufacturers, repairers and operators which are subject to a penalty shall include tampering with systems for control of emissions of NO x . This shall include, for example, tampering with systems which use a consumable reagent.
Redefinition of specifications: after the completion of the relevant parts of the UN/ECE Particulate Measurement Programme, conducted under the auspices of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations, the Commission shall, without lowering the level of environmental protection within the Community and in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny:
-introduce as an additional control upon emissions of particulate matter particle number based limit values set at a level appropriate to the technologies actually being used at that time to meet the particulate mass limit ;
-adopt a measurement procedure for particle number.
The Commission shall also, without lowering the level of environmental protection within the Community, specify a limit value for NO 2 in addition to that for total NO x if appropriate. The limit for NO 2 shall be set at a level reflecting the performance of then existing technologies.
Application: 31 December 2012. However, Articles 8(3) and 10 shall apply from entry into force of the legislation and certain points of of Annex II shall apply from 31 December 2013. The Commission shall adopt prescribed implementing measures referred to in Article 4(3), Article 5(4), Article 6(2) and Article 12(1)(a) and (b) by 1 April 2010.
Study on energy consumption: a recital stated that in order to promote the market for clean and energy efficient vehicles the Commission should study the feasibility and the development of a definition and a methodology of energy consumption and CO 2 emissions for whole vehicles and not only for engines, without prejudice to the use of virtual and actual testing. An eventual definition and the methodology should also cover alternative driveline concepts (e.g. hybrid vehicles) and effects of improvements on vehicles such as aerodynamics, weight, loading capacity and rolling resistance. If a suitable method of presentation and comparison can be identified, the derived fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions should be made publicly available for separate vehicle types.