Motorcycle Emissions

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Eamonn Townsend

Motorcycle Emissions

Post by Eamonn Townsend »

Rapporteur Lange supports waiting for the new test cycle

Last week (7th June 2001), a meeting took place between FEMA and Bernd Lange MEP, Rapporteur in the European Parliament's Environment Committee for the proposal on the next stage of reducing emissions of motorcycles. Mr lange stated that he would recommend that the European Parliament should wait for the world motorcycle test cycle before setting mandatory limit values for Euro III (2006).

The position of the Rapporteur was welcomed by FEMA as sensible and logical. The new world motorcycle test cycle on the basis of which the 2006 limit values should be determined, is now expected to be finalised early next year. The EU legislative procedure has been delayed, with the common position of the Member governments being adopted later than expected. Therefore it is indeed common sense to wait until the Euro III limit values are set.

FEMA always argued in favour of this approach. We were unhappy with the position taken by the European Parliament at the First Reading. FEMA wants cleaner bikes, but thinks that this should be achieved by taking into consideration the particularities of these vehicles and not setting unrealistic limit values that would be difficult to meet with current technologies, and incurring high costs that would inevitably be borne by the rider as the consumer.

The other positive outcome of the meeting was that Mr Lange favoured FEMA's suggestion to quantify the Euro III limit values as percentage reductions to the Euro II ones instead of specific figures. FEMA also underlined the importance of accurate correlation factors to be set in the directive, in order to avoid further hidden reductions when changing test cycles.

The Common Position from the Council of Ministers is expected by the end of June. The EP's Environment Committee will then consider and adopt its position in September 2001, followed by the European Parliament vote at Second Reading before the end of the year.

FEMA is pleased with these developments and will continue to ensure that the interests of the riders are recognised.
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