Minister Kupka: I perceive the demonstration against the EURO 7 as support for the gov's activity

29/3/2023Press releases

Regarding the EURO 7 emission standard, transport minister Martin Kupka shares the view of employees and employers in the automotive industry. The drive for a cleaner environment must not mean unrealistic conditions for car manufacturers. The minister would expect the trade unions to involve their European partners to a bigger extent.

Minister Kupka: I perceive the demonstration against the EURO 7 as support for the gov's activity

"The Czech government was the first to take up the fight against the unrealistic EURO 7 proposal. We also immediately started negotiations at the level of ministers of like-minded European countries. I take today's demonstration partly as support for our activities and believe that the unions will gradually succeed in gaining the support of their European partners," says transport minister Martin Kupka.

According to minister Kupka, the adoption of the EURO 7 emission standard in its current form would threaten the production of smaller and medium-sized cars, affecting thousands of jobs. The Czech government is therefore advocating the postponement of the effect date of this standard and at the same time the relaxation of some of the not-entirely-realistic requirements.

The goal of the Czech Republic and like-minded countries such as Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Portugal is to amend the form of EURO 7, so that it is feasible for the European automotive industry and does not damage it against global and especially Asian competition. The Czech Republic proposes a time limit of 4 years between the adoption of the last implementing document and the date on which the standard will enter into force to give the automotive industry enough time to prepare. Some of the proposed technical conditions should then be eliminated as such.

Czech government is active on the topic of emission standards

The Czech Republic has been making its comments on the draft EURO 7 standard for a long time. Already in December last year it adopted a national position against EURO 7, which transport minister Martin Kupka conveyed to Internal Market Commissioner Breton. He then discussed specific reservations with him again in Brussels on 10 February.

Minister Kupka also held a number of bilateral meetings during the meeting of European ministers of transport in Stockholm at the end of February this year where he met, among others, with Italian minister of infrastructure Matteo Salvini, Spanish minister of infrastructure Raquel Jimenéz, French minister of transport Clément Beaune, Portuguese minister of infrastructure João Galamba and Polish minister of infrastructure Andrzej Adamczyk.

On Monday 13 March the representatives of these countries agreed at a meeting convened by minister Kupka in Strasbourg on a coordinated approach to the preparation of a joint document summarising the main requirements of the countries for the amendment of the EURO 7 standard towards the European Commission.

The Czech Republic, along with other countries, has reservations to the current form of the new draft emission standard and will demand a postponement of its effect, and some countries will also request a relaxation of its parameters. It is also a positive sign that the Swedish Presidency has slowed down the timetable for discussing the emission standard, which means more room for discussion on the modification of the proposed rules.

Photo: ESTAV.cz