Kingdom of the Netherlands v.Commission of the European Communities

At the moment, Euro 4 norms laid down in Directive 98/69 allow for small particles emissions of up to 25mg/km from passenger cars and small commercial vehicles with diesel engines. The sale of cars that meet the Euro 4 norms cannot be prohibited by member states ex Art. 2(1) of Directive 98/69. The Netherlands asked permission to introduce stricter norms, aimed at limiting emissions to 5mg/km as of 1 January 2007 by means of an obligatory particle filter. The Commission rejected the Dutch request, made under Art. 95(5) EC Treaty. This judgment confirms the Commission’s decision. While accepting that the emissions of particulate matter produced by diesel vehicles is acute and leads to not meeting quality norms laid down in Directive 1999/30, adoption of national measures that disrupt the functioning of the internal market is only allowed if the environmental problem is specific to the notifying state. The Dutch ambient air quality problems are not significantly different than those in other regions in the EU, according to the Court. On 1 September 2009 filters will become obligatory throughout the EU because of the new Euro 5 norms adopted on 20 June 2007 in the form of EC Regulation No. 715/2007 that limit emissions to 5mg/km as of 1 September 2009. Meanwhile, 60 percent of diesel cars sold in The Netherlands already are equipped with a filter, no doubt as a result of a subsidy of 600 Euro that buyers receive in this case.