Answer given by Ms Bieńkowska on behalf of the European Commission

10.10.2019

The Commission is strongly committed to supporting the accelerating shift to clean and sustainable mobility to improve air quality and contributing to the EU's climate objectives under the Paris Agreement. The Commission is equally committed to upholding Single Market rules to the benefit of EU industry and consumers.

With a view to reducing urban air pollution, Member States have the possibility to restrict access of cars with diesel and petrol engines (i.e. combustion engines) to urban centres based on EU emission legislation criteria.

The Commission notes that, apart from Denmark, several other Member States, notably France, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Ireland recently announced similar plans to ban cars with combustion engines.

With a view to ensuring a coordinated European approach, the Commission would welcome a policy debate on this topic in the relevant Council formations (Competitiveness, Transport and/or Environment).