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The GEME meeting brings a taste of Covid to engine emissions

30-11-2020

The pandemic brought compliance with implementation dates and procedures set in Regulations at the core of the discussions

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The European Commission’s Experts Working Group for Non Road Mobile Machinery (Emission from non road mobile machinery engines), known as GEME, held its latest meeting on 18th November 2020. The discussion touched upon a variety of different topics, several of which linked to disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Among the subjects discussed were:  

  • Transition engines of 56 – 130 kW power range: the CEMA representative presented the main points of the CEMA position prepared together with CEETTAR and CLIMMAR to ask for a 12 months postponement of the implementation dates set up in Regulation 2016/1628 for transition vehicles. The intent is to allow manufacturers to adapt in better conditions to the Covid situation when it comes to the production and the placing on the market of vehicles using transition engines built in 2019. 

Although some countries showed their support, or their willingness to open the discussions, the Commission asked for more data to support this request.

  • In-Service monitoring implementation dates: asked by Euromot to consider a possible postponement of the target dates set in Regulation 2017/655 due to Covid situation, the European Commission explained this issue must be addressed by the authorities who have granted Stage V type‑approvals.
  • Amendment to (EU) Regulation 2017/654 “Stage V technical requirements”: this amendment is intended to set the limits of the equivalence of the type-approvals according to UNECE Regulations R49 “Emissions of compression-ignition and positive ignition engines” and R96 “Diesel emission (agricultural tractors)”. The adoption of the amendment is planned for February 2021 and is therefore delayed of about 6 months.
  • Remote Supervision Tests for Type-Approval in the context of Covid: Euromot, supported by CEMA, asked the European Commission for the extended possibility to use remote supervision tests related to type‑approvals, as this is allowed till the end of 2020 only.

This subject will be discussed during next meeting of Member States Expert Group on Non‑Road Mobile Machinery.

Comments were requested from Member States and stakeholders by the end of the year.