A Labour MEP had strong words for the European Commission for introducing a law which essentially allowed carmakers to produce vehicles which emit more pollutant nitrogen oxides.

“The introduction of secondary law allowing cars to pollute more than they should is simply unacceptable. To try and legitimise the relaxing of limits is deplorable,” Miriam Dalli told a the European Parliament’s environment committee.

This was a reference to how the European Commission had introduced a 80 mg/km emissions limit for nitrogen oxides for diesel vehicles at laboratory test level, but then granted ‘conformity factors’ which increased the limits for the on-road part of the test to 168 mg/km.

The General Court of the EU last year ruled that these conformity factors were illegal.

Dalli called for stricter Real Driving Emissions (RDE) tests to ensure car manufacturers truly comply with the emission standards and said carmakers which do abide by them should be rewarded for doing so.

“This is our chance as European Parliament to do something about Europe’s polluted air. The technology is available and the legislation should reward those car manufacturers making the best use of available technology,” she said.  

“The EU should be incentivising manufacturers to follow these standards and not help them to pollute above the set limits. No further excuses that are detrimental to our citizens’ public health should be accepted… or worse still validated.”