Minister of Transport Gerry Brownlee has announced a number of amendments to be investigated in relation to new vehicle exhaust emission rules (VEER) now that Euro 5 and 6 standards have been agreed upon in Australia..
“Much has changed since the 2007 emissions rule was first drafted. Therefore I am proposing that we review the need for any further standards in 2014 to ensure that New Zealand continues to import new vehicles built to the highest available exhaust emissions standards,” says Brownlee. “Current standards for used vehicles will remain in place.”
While new heavy vehicles are already required to meet Euro 5, no date has been set in Australia for Euro 6 and current heavy vehicle emission rules do not extend past January 1, 2015.
Used heavy vehicle standards contain no minimum standards past January 1, 2013, and the proposal calls for the continuation of Japan 05 and Euro 4 indefinitely.
A review will take place in 2014 to determine if or when Japan 09 will be introduced on used imports.
Under proposed new vehicle standards, Japanese and European standards will be introduced two years after the jurisdiction (normalised to the following January 1.)
However, the government recognises it is not sensible to implement Euro standards ahead of Australia, and thus ADR compliance here may mirror that of Australia, and be introduced on the same day.
A draft amendment rule will be made available for public consultation in June this year, and it is expected that the final amendment rule would come into effect before the end of the year.
