EC mulls adding pollutants to car labels

The European commission is considering the inclusion of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) in car labelling rules as a result of the Volkswagen emissions scandal.

The commission is currently reviewing the 1999 car labelling law, which covers fuel consumption and CO2 emissions but not air pollutants.

But “in view of the recent events concerning VW”, the commission is requesting views on whether information about air pollutants should be included in the car labelling system alongside CO2, it said.

Volkswagen announced last week that it is recalling 8.5m cars in Europe after it emerged in September that the car company circumnavigated emissions tests for some of its diesel cars using illegal engine software.

A consultation on car labelling launched on Monday asks whether the directive would have been “more effective” if it had included information on air pollutants.

Greg Archer from green group T&E said that a review of the car labelling system, unamended in the past 16 years, is long overdue.

“But there is no point developing new labels unless the information provided reflects the typical performance of the car on the road,” he said.

Details of a new CO2 test, the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), are being finalised by the commission, but MEPs have expressed concern about the stringency of the new system.

The commission said that consumer associations have made “many complaints” about the effectiveness of car labelling for understanding CO2 emissions, and that the lack of harmonised criteria across member states has led to large variations in the rules.

Consultants Ricardo-AEA, who are carrying out the current policy evaluation on behalf of the commission, recommended in 2012 the development of a single EU-wide car label instead of the current practice where each member state designs their own label.

The consultation on car labelling is open until 15 January 2016.