1st ICAI 2020

International Conference on Automotive Industry 2020

Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic

Automobile Emission Standards under Municipal Supervision – – Case T-339/16, T-352/16, T-391/16 Paris, Bruxelles, Madrid v. Commission Justyna Bazylińska-Nagler Wroclaw University Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics Uniwersytecka 22/26, Wrocław, 50-145 Poland e-mail: justyna.bazylinska-nagler@uwr.edu.pl Abstract The road transport sector remains a major contributor to smog that is of particular concern in big cities. The EU member states manage air quality in line with the Air Quality Directive (dir. 2008/50/EC) that put forward local air quality targets. For this purpose, local authorities apply specific legal instruments: low emission or pedestrian zones, or car-free days. In joined cases: T-339/16, T-352/16, T-391/16 Paris, Bruxelles and Madrid successfully questioned the EU harmonizing legislation (reg. 2016/646/ EU) on pollutant emissions from vehicles, facilitating their sale in the EU market, but incompliant with Euro 6 standard (reg. 715/2007/EC). This work revolves around the implicit conflict between regulatory autonomy of the cities to enact domestic air quality legislation and – the EU automotive market surveillance system based on the Framework Directive for the Approval of Motor Vehicles (dir. 2007/46/EC). All things considered, cities with their standing under Article 263 (4) TFEU, may become champions for air quality protection if the Commission’s automobile emission standards fail. Keywords: Air Quality Directive, automotive sector emissions, Framework Directive for the Approval of Motor Vehicles, low emission zone, regulatory autonomy of the cities JEL Classification: K23, K32, K33 1.1 Ambient air quality management Ambient air quality management obligations of state authorities stem from both international and EU, as well as domestic regulations. Following the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (Geneva Convention, 1979) its member states report their annual emissions to the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe). In line with the EU Air Quality Directive (2008/50/EC, O.J. L 152, 11. 06. 2008, p. 1) – EU member states are to manage air quality. There are specific legal instruments settled there to be applied by local authorities i.e. air quality plans, reference measurement methods, quality assessment, etc. Domestic public policy regarding air pollution control by the city government is accommodated 1. Introduction

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