The Council forwarded its common position vis-a-vis certain components and characteristics of two-or three-wheel motor vehicles on 16 July 2001. As regards emission limits the common position largely endorses the limit value for hydrocarbons for the motorcycles above 150cc (1g/k, instead of 1.2 g/km). This is in line with the priorities of the Commission and the AUTO-OIL II programme which indicates that the emissions of hydrocarbons, as a precursor for ozone are the main priority for this stage of limit values for motorcycles. Mandatory application of these provisions will apply from 1 January 2004 to 1 July 2004 respectively. This fits in with the position of the European Parliament and allows manufacturers some more flexibility when adapting all their vehicle types to the new requirements.
Further, the common position includes a separate time table for the application for trial motorcycles. The so called enduro motorcycles will fit in with this time table. Dates for application of these requirements will be 1 January 2004 for new types and 1 July 2005 for all types.
Concerning tax incentives, the Council agrees with Commission proposals in this field and will allow the introduction of 'permissive values'. This will enable Member States to stimulate more advanced environmental technologies through the granting of fiscal incentives. The permissive values and the associated test procedure have been aligned by the Council to the Euro 3 limits for passenger cars that are presently in force.
In terms of future work, the Commission has been given the mandate by the Council to come forward with proposals on further emission reductions for mopeds, measurement of particulate and associate emission limits, measurement of CO2 emissions and durability requirements. In terms of the world-wide harmonised test cycle which is currently being developed through a co-ordinate action at the level of UN-ECE, the Council has given the Commission the go ahead to work on this and to implement any necessary changes by 2006.
Other aspects of future work include in-service compliance, inspection and maintenance, OBD and evaporative emission control. Generally speaking these provisions are in line with Parliamentary amendments. Differences do exist however on detailed provisions as well as on the time frame for implementation.
The Council, in line with parliamentary amendments, has also introduced a prohibition on the use of defeat devices and irrational control strategies, as well as provisions on the information to be supplied by the manufacturer that would enable the technical service to check the emission control devices.�