Emissions Directive: exemption share for tractors and earthmoving
machinery expanded
A text outlining the prospect of bringing to market a larger share of machinery not
yet compliant with the latest norms on engine emissions was drafted in Brussels
yesterday. Final approval of the document by the European Parliament is expected
for early July. A crucial role for a progressive and rational transition to the new
parameters have been played by Italian industry representatives in the National
Manufacturers Confederation, Confindustria, system.
The European Parliament vote in a plenary session at the beginning of July is
expected to approve the text of a proposal for allowing the progressive sale of
machinery which does not yet comply with new emission requirements. Agreement
on the text of the proposal to put to the vote was reached in a meeting held yesterday
by representatives of the European Commission, the Parliament and EU Council. The
proposal is for allowing manufacturers to market a share of their non-road
machinery, earthmoving and construction machinery, equipped with engines which
do not conform to the new emissions Directive. The share named for non-road
vehicles is a number equal to 37.5% of average sales in years past and that set for
tractors in a previous agreement is 40% of these average sales.
An alternative to this flexible share criteria is the possibility of adopting also “fixed
quantity” criteria not linked to average sales but set for non-road as well as tractors at
a share of 2.5 times the quantities now allowed under the Directive in effect.
The percentages of exemptions allowed in the document, much more advantageous
that those set previously at 20% for the flexible quota, were the result of intense
work carried out over the past few months by Confindustria and
Unacoma/Comamoter, the association which represents the manufacturers of
agricultural and earthmoving machinery, in conjunction with Italian ministries, the
Italian permanent representation in Brussels and Antonio Tajani, the vice president
of the European Commission, and his cabinet.
Aware of the state of crisis in this mechanics sector, the European Commission and
now also the European Parliament and Council of Ministers are providing companies
lacking funds because of the steep drop on sales in the wake of the economic crisis in
recent years with an instrument for rescheduling investments over longer periods.
Unacoma President Massimo Goldoni commented, “The issue will be concluded
only with the parliamentary approval of the document but we are satisfied with the
affirmative cooperation we have developed with the EU organizations which allowed
us to set new and more rational parameters for emissions, recognizing that it is not
possible for these industries in the sector to speedily transform their own production
systems and that a transition phase will be necessary.”
Rome, June 15, 2011
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