EURO-4: grace period for motorbikes
Motorised two-wheelers with the EURO-4 emission standard may be sold one year longer.
Originally it was planned throughout Europe that the binding ban would apply from 1 January 2021. But now the European Parliament is making a hectic turn in the last few metres before the new regulation comes into force. The proposal to extend the deadline for the sales stop was brought into play by the EU Commission and Brussels, otherwise known for hesitation and long decision-making processes, then approved the request on Monday evening by a large majority. Andreas Schwab, Member of the European Parliament for the CDU and spokesman for internal market policy of the EPP group, among others, commented on the reasons for this far-reaching decision: "We must be flexible in view of the Covid 19 crisis. Taking motorbikes straight from the factory floor to the landfill site because they do not comply with the pollutant emission values that will apply from 2021 is not only harmful to companies but ultimately also to the environment". Critical voices accuse the Parliament of having taken this decision primarily for economic reasons, rather than for environmental considerations. Motorcyclists have already had to put up with a lot this year 2020. So-called noise protection zones are gaining ground and are very often directed not only against motor vehicles, but also directly against noisy motorised two-wheelers. More and more municipalities and cities are at the end of their patience with excessively loud vehicles and are urgently demanding or installing these noise-protection zones - throughout Europe.
But in keeping with the motto "What do I care about my yesterdays talk", European politics is now making a kind of change of direction and is apparently giving in to parts of big industry.
The current extension of the deadline from Brussels gives the motorbike industry and consumers a sigh of relief. But for the environment and for all our health, this short-term political decision is more than bad news and reflects badly on the highest European decision-making body.
PS: By the way, it is still completely open when the sales ban will come back into force.