Commission Directive 2006/51/ECShow full title

Commission Directive 2006/51/EC

of 6 June 2006

amending for the purposes of adapting to technical progress Annex I to Directive 2005/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Annexes IV and V to Directive 2005/78/EC as regards requirements for the emission control monitoring system for use in vehicles and exemptions for gas engines

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type approval of motor vehicles and their trailers(1), and in particular the second indent of Article 13(2) thereof,

Having regard to Directive 2005/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005, on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from compression-ignition engines for use in vehicles, and the emission of gaseous pollutants from positive ignition engines fuelled with natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas for use in vehicles(2), and in particular Article 7 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Directive 2005/55/EC is one of the separate directives in the context of the Community type approval procedure laid down by Directive 70/156/EEC.

(2) Commission Directive 2005/78/EC of 14 November 2005 implementing Directive 2005/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from compression-ignition engines for use in vehicles, and the emission of gaseous pollutants from positive ignition engines fuelled with natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas for use in vehicles and amending Annexes I, II, III, IV and VI thereto introduced amending and implementing measures in relation to the durability of emission control systems, in-use conformity over a defined useful period and on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems for new heavy duty vehicles and engines.

(3) In view of the technical progress it is now appropriate to introduce improved requirements relating to the verification of the operational conditions, failures and demonstration of the emission control monitoring system at the moment of the type approval.

(4) It is necessary to ensure that the functioning of the emission control monitoring system is not impaired by a defeat strategy.

(5) Gas engines do not use the exhaust gas recirculation or selective catalytic reduction technologies in order to fulfil the current standards for NO_x emissions. Therefore, it is considered that, at this stage, gas engines and vehicles fuelled with gas should be exempted from the requirements to ensure correct operation of NO_x control measures. The exemption might be revoked when taking into consideration further emission stages.

(6) It is appropriate to adjust the date of application of sections 6.5.3, 6.5.4 and 6.5.5 of Annex I to Directive 2005/55/EC in case of new type approvals.

(7) The Commission intends to review the OBD threshold limit values in order to adapt them to the technological progress.

(8) Directives 2005/55/EC and 2005/78/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(9) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Adaptation to Technical Progress established by Article 13(1) of Directive 70/156/EEC,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

(1)

OJ L 42, 23.2.1970, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Commission 2006/28/EC (OJ L 65, 7.3.2006, p. 27).

(2)

OJ L 275, 20.10.2005, p. 1. Directive as amended by Commission Directive 2005/78/EC (OJ L 313, 29.11.2005, p. 1).