The new rules were approved by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and Council negotiators to ensure safer and greener motorbikes on the roads and have in its ambit 30 million mopeds, scooters, motorbikes, all-terrain vehicles and quads.
Parliament rapporteur Wim van de Camp elaborated that for heavy motorcycles Euro 4 standards would be applicable starting 2016 while Euro 5 standards will kick-in from 2020.
"Again the Commission will have to carry out a comprehensive environmental impact study by 1 January 2016 to evaluate the air quality and share of pollutants emitted by L-category vehicles," said Wim van de Camp.
Currently L-category vehicles emit disproportionally high levels of pollutants under the Euro 3 norms which the MEPs hope to curb starting 2016.
The provisionally agreed text will now have to be formally endorsed formally by Council and Parliament before it is put to a vote before an internal market committee.
