Building a roadmap for applying unified and synchronous automobile emission standards

Photo caption — Meeting scene. Photo: Van Diep/VNA

Reducing air pollution from vehicle emissions

According to a report by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment , the development of a roadmap to control and reduce air pollution caused by vehicle emissions contributes to protecting public health and improving the quality of the living environment. At the same time, this is a legal basis to gradually eliminate vehicles that do not meet emission standards, promote the transition to clean, environmentally friendly vehicles, in line with Vietnam's international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop sustainable urban transport.

The implementation process must be cautious, feasible, and have appropriate phases to minimize the impact on the socio -economy, avoid causing major disruption to people's lives and production and business activities; receive consensus from society and people; and give priority to applying first in areas at risk of serious air pollution such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Along with emission control, promoting clean vehicles, eliminating vehicles that do not meet emission standards, and encouraging people to switch to green vehicles such as electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and vehicles using environmentally friendly technology.

The roadmap will inherit the valid and relevant contents of Decision No. 16/2019/QD-TTg stipulating the roadmap for applying emission standards to vehicles in traffic and imported used vehicles; Decision No. 19/2024/QD-TTg stipulating the roadmap for applying emission standards to imported, manufactured and assembled motor vehicles; supplementing the roadmap for applying emission standards to vehicles manufactured from 2017 to the end of 2021, manufactured from 2022.

Specifically, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment proposes: Cars manufactured before 1999, when participating in traffic, will apply Level 1 emission standards (equivalent to Euro 1 standards) from the effective date of the Decision.

Cars manufactured from 1999 to the end of 2016, when participating in traffic, will apply Level 2 (equivalent to Euro 2 standards) from the effective date of the Decision.

Cars manufactured from 2017 to the end of 2021 will apply Level 3 (equivalent to Euro 3 standards) when participating in traffic from January 1, 2026. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will apply Level 4 (equivalent to Euro 4 standards) from January 1, 2027.

Cars manufactured from 2022 will apply Level 4 from January 1, 2026; Level 5 (equivalent to Euro 5 standards) from January 1, 2032; in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City only, Level 5 will apply from January 1, 2028. From January 1, 2029, all cars participating in traffic in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City must meet Level 2 or higher.

Notably, automobile models manufactured and assembled under technical safety and environmental protection certificates issued before January 1, 2022, until their expiration date, will be subject to the same emission levels as automobiles manufactured from 2017 to the end of 2021 (Level 3).

At the meeting, Deputy Minister of Construction Le Anh Tuan agreed with the draft roadmap for applying emission standards to cars participating in road traffic. However, applying Level 4 to the group of vehicles manufactured in the period 2017-2021 in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is a noteworthy issue, because nearly 16% of them do not meet the standards, mainly trucks and tractors serving freight transport. If emission standards are tightened across the entire area, it will significantly affect transportation and logistics costs, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, which has a large port system and cargo circulation center.

Some other opinions suggested that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment should clarify the content related to zoning of emission areas and the authority to determine areas applying emission standards; clearly stipulate the time limit and roadmap for elimination, to avoid prolonging the situation of old, low-quality vehicles...

Policy must be consistent from vehicle to fuel

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized that the roadmap for applying emission standards for automobiles participating in traffic needs to be considered in a unified and synchronous manner between newly manufactured automobiles, newly imported automobiles and vehicles in circulation; to avoid the situation where imported automobiles are forced to meet high standards, while domestic vehicles still apply lower standards, causing unfairness and affecting the market.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested that contents that affect property rights and travel rights such as zoning off restricted areas for vehicles, banning or allowing circulation, etc., must be carefully reviewed based on current laws, ensuring that the regulations are in accordance with the correct authority and the correct level of document issuance. Contents under the Prime Minister's authority must be kept in the Decision; contents under the Government's authority must be included in the Decree. If the law does not stipulate, it is necessary to study and propose amendments, or if necessary, report to the National Assembly for consideration.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested a comprehensive assessment of the impact of the policy on restricting or banning vehicles, clearly identifying the number of organizations and individuals affected, and from there, developing appropriate support plans to avoid disruption and disadvantages for people and businesses. These measures may include support for improving and upgrading equipment on vehicles, policies for exchanging old vehicles for new ones, adjusting fees and prices of public transport services, and providing new types of fuels, etc.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that if some types of personal vehicles are restricted in urban areas, the government needs to arrange enough buses and clean public transport, and plan stops and parking lots reasonably to ensure people's convenient travel, protect their rights and daily activities. When requiring vehicles to meet higher emission standards, the ability to supply fuel on the market must be ensured.

"Therefore, policies must be synchronized from vehicles to fuel, from technical roadmap to conditions to ensure implementation," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Regarding vehicles of the national defense and police forces, the Deputy Prime Minister said that separate regulations only apply to special vehicles, while means of transport and public service must still comply with general standards; at the same time, continue to research solutions to improve technology and replace equipment to reduce emissions.

The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Justice to carefully review the contents of the Prime Minister's draft Decision, ensuring proper authority; and at the same time coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology in unifying standards between types of vehicles and fuels. In organizing implementation, it is necessary to strongly decentralize to localities, creating conditions for localities to be able to apply early and at higher emission standards, suitable to actual conditions.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/chinh-sach-va-cuoc-song/xay-dung-lo-trinh-ap-dung-quy-chuan-khi-thai-o-to-thong-nhat-va-dong-bo-20251111183800214.htm