EU plans to ditch new Euro 7 as regulations deemed too costly

The European Union is planning to dramatically water down planned emission regulations in a victory for car makers, which had long argued that proposals for the so-called Euro 7 rules were too arduous and costly.

The long-delayed draft regulation will keep the emissions regulations for cars and vans similar to those currently set for petrol-powered cars, according to a report from Politico.

The EU will “minimise” the costs to clean up engines, citing “unprecedented pressures” on the automotive supply chain that have pushed up the cost of cars, according to a copy of the draft seen by Politico.

Car makers had argued vociferously against the new regulations, which would require spending “millions of euros”, according to European automotive lobby group the ACEA.

“From an industry perspective, we don’t need EU7, as it will be drawing resources we should be spending on electrification,” Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said on the sidelines of the Paris motor show earlier this week. “Euro 7 should be simply cancelled.”

The draft regulations, which would have been a requirement for cars sold in EU from around 2025/2026, have been delayed multiple times, most recently shifting from 12 October to 28 October. They will now be published on 9 November, according to Politico.

The ACEA argued that the proposed standards were irrelevant, given the speed of adoption of EVs as manufacturers prepared for the 2035 end date for selling new ICE cars in both the EU and the UK. The greater proportion of EVs on the road would already be cleaning the air, it argued.

The news won’t be welcomed by catalytic convertor makers, such as Britain’s Johnson Matthey, which had argued that Europe should be advancing on exhaust-emissions regulations, given its global leadership in the area.

The move has also been criticised by environmental groups, which see it as a capitulation to industry lobbyists.

“The [European] Commission has caved into their demands. Car makers’ profits are being prioritised over the health of millions of Europeans," Anna Krajinska of pressure group Transport & Environment told Politico.