The EU is poised to water down a landmark piece of car pollution legislation after extensive lobbying from the automotive industry, which experts say will cause an estimated €100bn in health and environmental costs. exclusively to the Guardian and Voxeurop shows that half of the projected financial savings from the new Euro 7 standards on car emissions will be lost due to damage caused by excess nitrogen dioxide.
Clove says the costs for the industry to produce cleaner vehicles – estimated at about €30bn – would be far less than the expected €182bn benefit to the EU that stronger restrictions on road pollution could have brought. “The meeting was not recorded on time due to an administrative oversight. It has been recorded now,” a commission spokesperson said.
Legislative proposals by the commission have to be approved by national governments, and a weak initial proposal leaves less room for negotiations.Environmental NGOs criticised the weakened legislation. Anna Krajinska, the manager of vehicle emissions and air quality at Transport & Environment, said: “Ninety-five million new vehicles certified as Euro 7 will be sold until 2035.