What is the European Union doing to reduce vehicle emissions?

Key actions to reduce CO₂ emissions from vehicles

The European Union (EU) is working to reduce CO₂ emissions from vehicles, in line with the EU objective of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Regarding CO₂ emissions from cars and vans, EU rules stipulate that all new cars and vans sold from 2035 onwards must be zero-emission vehicles. Intermediate emissions reduction targets for 2030 are set at 55 % for new cars and 50 % for new vans (compared to 2021).

The zero-emission target means that the sale of new cars and vans with combustion engines will be banned as of 2035. Nevertheless, an exemption is planned to allow for vehicles running on carbon-neutral fuels.

As regards emissions from trucks, in 2024 the EU adopted new rules, which also apply to urban buses, coaches, trailers and other types of lorries. Carbon emissions from new vehicles of this type will have to be reduced by 45 % from 2030, 65 % from 2035 and 90 % from 2040. New urban buses will need to have emissions reduced by 90 % by 2030 and must become zero-emission vehicles by 2035 (compared to the average CO₂ emissions in 2019). The Commission will conduct a review in 2027 to evaluate the effectiveness of these new requirements.

The EU decided to extend an EU rule that allows EU countries to reduce or waive road tolls for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles, such as electric or hydrogen trucks and buses. This exemption was due to end in 2025 but has now been extended until 2031. The goal is to make zero-emission trucks cheaper to operate and more attractive to consumers than diesel vehicles.

The EU has taken steps to strengthen testing procedures, and updated the methods used to measure the CO₂ emissions of new cars coming onto the market. Detailed new rules have been introduced for cars, vans and trucks. The EU has also adopted rules and procedures to check the CO₂ emissions of cars already in use. Every year, national authorities must test a sample of cars and vans on the road to ensure that their actual CO₂ emissions correspond to official values.

Upcoming reform

In December 2025, the Commission presented a package of proposals to support the automotive sector's efforts in the transition to clean mobility. The package includes a proposal for a review of the CO₂ emission standards for cars and vans and a proposal for decarbonising corporate vehicles.

Review of CO₂ emission standards for cars and vans

Instead of a full 100 % zero-emission target from 2035, the plan would require a 90 % reduction in tailpipe CO₂. The remaining 10 % will need to be addressed using low-carbon steel, e fuels or biofuels. This will allow hybrids, mild hybrids and range extenders to still play a role beyond 2035, in addition to full electric and hydrogen vehicles.

Decarbonising corporate vehicles

EU countries will set mandatory targets for large companies to buy zero- and low-emission cars and vans. Since corporate fleets represent a large share of new vehicle registrations in the EU, this is meant to boost demand for cleaner vehicles.

Key actions to reduce emissions of pollutants (NO_x and particulate matter)

Since the early 1990s, the EU has been setting emission standards for vehicles, known as 'Euro standards'. The Euro 6 standards, currently in force in the Union, define the upper limits of certain pollutants emitted by vehicles with internal combustion engines.

In May 2024, the EU adopted new emission standards for road vehicles, Euro 7, which will be phased in over the coming years. Euro 7 also covers particle emissions from tyres and brakes and introduces requirements for battery durability. Cars and vans keep the existing Euro 6 exhaust emission limits, but with stricter requirements for solid particles. For buses and trucks, Euro 7 introduces stricter limits for exhaust pollutants. Vehicle users should also have access to up-to-date information about fuel consumption, state of battery health, pollutant emissions and other relevant information generated by on-board systems and monitors.

The new standard complements the legislation on approval of motor vehicles, which sets requirements for vehicles sold in the EU. It requires authorities in every EU country to inspect new vehicle models and perform a mandatory number of tests each year on vehicles already on their market. From July 2026, EU countries must exchange certificates of conformity in electronic format, to make monitoring more efficient.