PURPOSE: Corrigendum to Directive 2011/72/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 September 2011 amending Directive 2000/25/EC as regards the provision for tractors placed on the market under the flexibility scheme.

The corrigendum relates to the date of the transposition of the Directive: this is fixed as 24 September 2012 (instead of 24 September 2011).

The European Parliament adopted by 402 votes to 218, with 11 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2000/25/EC as regards the provisions for tractors placed on the market under the flexibility scheme.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure.

The amendments adopted in plenary are the result of a compromise negotiated between the European Parliament and the Council.

A definition of “ flexibility scheme ” has been introduced in the proposal: it shall mean the exemption procedure by means of which a Member State permits the placing on the market and entry into service of a limited number of tractors in accordance with the requirements of the Directive.

A new provision stipulates that by way of derogation, Member States shall provide that, at the request of the tractor manufacturer, and on condition that the approval authority has granted the relevant permit for placing on the market in accordance with the procedures laid down in Annex IV, a limited number of tractors fitted with engines approved in accordance with the requirements of the emission limits stage immediately preceding the applicable one may enter into service.

The flexibility scheme shall begin when a given stage becomes applicable and shall have the same duration as the stage itself. The flexibility scheme shall, however, be restricted to the duration of Stage III B or to three years where no subsequent stage exists.

The resolution highlights the following points:

the current global financial and economic crisis or any economic downturn should not lead to a lowering of environmental standards. This revision of Directive 2000/25/EC should therefore be considered to be exceptional. Furthermore, investments in environmentally friendly technologies are important for the promotion of future growth, jobs and health security; during Stage III B, the number of tractors that are placed on the market and that enter into service should, in each engine category, not exceed 40% of the number of tractors placed on the market by the tractor manufacturer in that engine category. The alternative option of allowing a fixed number of tractors to be placed on the market and to enter into service under the flexibility scheme should be adapted accordingly; manufacturers of tractors falling within the scope of this Directive should benefit from European financial support programmes or any relevant support programmes provided by Member States. Those support programmes may favour projects employing the best available technologies with the highest emission standards; current emission limits should be made more stringent, including with respect to ultrafine black carbon particles notably by introducing particulate number limits in future legislation if this is justified by relevant impact assessments.

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted the report drafted by Salvatore TATARELLA (EPP, IT) on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2000/25/EC as regards the provisions for tractors placed on the market under the flexibility scheme.

It recommends that the European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading, under the ordinary legislative procedure, amends the Commission proposal as follows:

one of the objectives of Directive 2000/25/EC is to maximise the benefits for the European environment and public health; the report highlights the fact that global financial and economic crisis can not serve as a reason to water down environmental standards. On the contrary, investments in green technologies are a motor for future growth and jobs in Europe and an important factor for health security; a definition of the “ flexibility scheme ” has been introduced: it shall mean the exemption procedure by means of which a Member State permits the placing on the market of a limited quantity of engines in accordance with the requirements laid down in the Directive. The flexibility scheme shall begin when a given stage becomes compulsory and shall have the same duration as the stage itself. Under a flexibility scheme, engines shall be approved in accordance with the requirements of the stage immediately preceding the applicable one; the Commission proposal provides that during the transition from Stage III A to Stage III B, the percentage of the number of engines placed on the market under the flexibility scheme should be increased from 20% to 50% of the tractor manufacturer's annual sales of tractors with engines in that category. Members, on the other hand, consider that during Stage III B, the percentage of the number of tractors that enter into service under the flexibility scheme shall be 35% of the annual quantity of tractors entered into service by the tractor manufacturer with engines in that category;

Members propose that the Commission submit a comprehensive revision of Directive 2000/25/EC within 12 months. It is preferable for the Commission to present the comprehensive revision at its earliest convenience.

PURPOSE: to contribute to the smooth functioning of the internal market for tractors while protecting human health and the environment.

PROPOSED ACT: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.

BACKGROUND: Directive 2000/25/EC on action to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants by engines intended to power agricultural and forestry tractors.

The current stage of emission limits applicable for type approval of the majority of compression ignition engines is referred to as Stage III A.

The directive provides that those limits will be replaced by the more stringent Stage III B limits, entering into force progressively as of 1 January 2011 with regard to the placing on the market and from 1 January 2010 as regards the type approval for those engines.

T he transition to Stage III B involves a step change in technology requiring significant implementation costs for re-designing the engines and for developing advanced technical solutions. This transition stipulated by the legislator in 2005 coincides with the economic recession in the sector concerned which makes it difficult for the industry to bear the implementation costs necessary in order to adapt to the new legal requirements.

Directive 2000/25/EC provides for a flexibility scheme to allow tractor manufacturers to purchase, in the period between two emission stages, a limited quantity of engines that do not comply with the current emission limit values, but are approved to the nearest previous stage of emission limits.

In order to provide a temporary relief to industry when moving to the next stage, it is necessary to adapt the conditions for applying the flexibility scheme.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: the proposal takes into account a Technical Review of the Directive 97/68/EC by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) which includes, inter alia, an evaluation of the need to amend the provisions of the flexibility scheme; an Impact Assessment study by an external consultant to assess the impacts of the proposed policy options as laid down in the draft Technical Review of JRC, and a complementary study on the impacts of the options of the Technical Review of JRC, including consequences of an amendment of the flexibility scheme for SMEs.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: this proposal addresses the situation that manufacturers face difficulties to get Stage III B compliant engines approved and place them on the market due to delays in the design of new engines and the unexpected financial crisis. It is proposed to modify the provisions of the flexibility scheme to mitigate the effects from the transition of emission Stages III A to III B by extending its application while maintaining the entry into force of the exhaust emission limit Stage III B to preserve the objective of the Directive to reduce emissions of gaseous and particulate pollutants in the European Union.

More specifically, the aim of this Directive is to amend Directive 2000/25/EC as follows: an increase of the percentage of the number of engines placed on the market under the flexibility scheme in each engine category from 20% to 50% of the tractor manufacturer’s annual sales of equipment and an adaptation of the maximum number of engines that may be placed on the market under the flexibility scheme as an optional alternative, in the period between emission Stage III A to emission Stage III B. This measure will expire on 31 December 2013.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION: This proposal has no implication for the EU budget.

PURPOSE: to contribute to the smooth functioning of the internal market for tractors while protecting human health and the environment.

PROPOSED ACT: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.

BACKGROUND: Directive 2000/25/EC on action to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants by engines intended to power agricultural and forestry tractors.

The current stage of emission limits applicable for type approval of the majority of compression ignition engines is referred to as Stage III A.

The directive provides that those limits will be replaced by the more stringent Stage III B limits, entering into force progressively as of 1 January 2011 with regard to the placing on the market and from 1 January 2010 as regards the type approval for those engines.

T he transition to Stage III B involves a step change in technology requiring significant implementation costs for re-designing the engines and for developing advanced technical solutions. This transition stipulated by the legislator in 2005 coincides with the economic recession in the sector concerned which makes it difficult for the industry to bear the implementation costs necessary in order to adapt to the new legal requirements.

Directive 2000/25/EC provides for a flexibility scheme to allow tractor manufacturers to purchase, in the period between two emission stages, a limited quantity of engines that do not comply with the current emission limit values, but are approved to the nearest previous stage of emission limits.

In order to provide a temporary relief to industry when moving to the next stage, it is necessary to adapt the conditions for applying the flexibility scheme.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: the proposal takes into account a Technical Review of the Directive 97/68/EC by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) which includes, inter alia, an evaluation of the need to amend the provisions of the flexibility scheme; an Impact Assessment study by an external consultant to assess the impacts of the proposed policy options as laid down in the draft Technical Review of JRC, and a complementary study on the impacts of the options of the Technical Review of JRC, including consequences of an amendment of the flexibility scheme for SMEs.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: this proposal addresses the situation that manufacturers face difficulties to get Stage III B compliant engines approved and place them on the market due to delays in the design of new engines and the unexpected financial crisis. It is proposed to modify the provisions of the flexibility scheme to mitigate the effects from the transition of emission Stages III A to III B by extending its application while maintaining the entry into force of the exhaust emission limit Stage III B to preserve the objective of the Directive to reduce emissions of gaseous and particulate pollutants in the European Union.

More specifically, the aim of this Directive is to amend Directive 2000/25/EC as follows: an increase of the percentage of the number of engines placed on the market under the flexibility scheme in each engine category from 20% to 50% of the tractor manufacturer’s annual sales of equipment and an adaptation of the maximum number of engines that may be placed on the market under the flexibility scheme as an optional alternative, in the period between emission Stage III A to emission Stage III B. This measure will expire on 31 December 2013.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION: This proposal has no implication for the EU budget.