Air pollution is a serious problem that endangers the health of millions of people in the European Union. According to a new study by the European Environment Agency, almost 240,000 Europeans die every year as a result of particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen dioxide in the air. These alarming figures show that air quality in Europe is far from the levels recommended by the World Health Organization.
The planned introduction of new driving bans for diesel cars with Euro 5 engines and petrol cars with Euro 2 engines has been postponed until January 2027. Thousands of vehicles would have been affected by the original plans. The postponement met with opposition from the green parties Ecolo, Groen and Défi, while the majority of parliament supported the postponement.
Emmanuel Cuet, a craftsman from Lyon, is facing major challenges and frustrations. His anger increased when he recently received a fine for non-compliance with the ZFE. This penalty is particularly hard for him, as he already has to deal with many difficulties in his profession. As a carpenter and locksmith at Ateliers Charignon in Couzon-au-Mont-d'Or, he feels unfairly treated and feels that the measures are too quick and insufficient.
The introduction of new low emission zones in the Netherlands is causing discussion and uncertainty among drivers. Next year, 15 new low emission zones will be introduced, but they will initially only apply to commercial vehicles. This means that car drivers do not have to fear any restrictions when entering these zones.
A new legal opinion describes the planned ban on combustion engines in the EU from 2035 as unlawful. Professor Martin Kment from the University of Augsburg argues that the CO2 fleet regulation, which regulates CO2 emissions in the EU, violates EU law. This could mean that the EU's plans to introduce all-electric vehicles in the future could be put on hold.
Paris is a veritable jungle of low emission zones. With the introduction of the new traffic-calmed zone (ZTL) in the heart of the capital in October 2024, the list of restrictions for motorists will become even longer. There are already ZFE, ZPA and ZPA-Transit, which are intended to regulate traffic in the city. But who will be able to see through them?
Europe is a continent with diverse landscapes, cultures and languages, but also with a multitude of environmental zones and regulations for drivers. Anyone traveling through Europe by car this summer will quickly discover that it is not so easy to keep track of the various environmental stickers and vignettes.
The European elections have brought the issue of the combustion ban back into focus. Experts from various fields were asked by FOCUS online what they think about maintaining or lifting the planned ban in 2035. The experts' opinions are divided and it seems that the discussion about the future of vehicle propulsion is far from over.
France has ambitious plans: 800,000 electric cars are to be sold by 2027. This decision to switch to electric vehicles is part of an industry agreement that the automotive industry has concluded with the government. This step is also a preparation for the European deadline of 2035, from which all new cars must be electrically powered. Despite slower growth in the electric car market in Europe at the beginning of 2024, France has set itself ambitious targets to increase its market share to 45%.
The metropolis of Rouen recently introduced an important change to the low emission zone to make life easier for the city's motorists. Previously, only vehicles with stickers 1-3 were allowed to drive freely in the low emission zone, while vehicles with higher stickers were subject to restrictions. From 1 July 2024, however, a new "ZFE pass" will be introduced, which will also allow vehicles with class 4 and 5 stickers and unclassified vehicles to enter the low emission zone.
