European emission standardSlovakia

An introduction to the traffic rules and road signs of Slovakia. Learn about driving, road safety and much more in our illustrated book, with answers to frequently asked questions.

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20. European emission standard

A European emission standard, commonly called a Euro standard, is a European vehicle classification based on limits for pollutants emitted by vehicles and their engines. Successive standards, such as Euro 4, Euro 5 and Euro 6, introduced progressively stricter requirements for pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons.

A vehicle's Euro standard is determined as part of its type approval and depends on factors including the vehicle category, fuel type and applicable emissions legislation when it was approved. Euro standards may also be used by authorities to determine access to low-emission zones, but local access rules vary between countries and cities.

European emission standard
Chart comparing European exhaust-emission standards for diesel cars.
Wikimedia.org • Rfeba • CC0
What is a European emission standard?

A European emission standard, or Euro standard, classifies vehicles according to the emissions requirements they had to satisfy when approved for use in the European market.

🔗 legislation.gov.uk • Regulation (EC) 715/2007, Annex I, Euro 5/6 tables (UK official legislation copy)

🔗 consilium.europa.eu • Council of the EU, Euro 7 adoption explanation, 12 April 2024

What do Euro 4, Euro 5 and Euro 6 mean?

Euro 4, Euro 5 and Euro 6 identify successive stages of European vehicle-pollutant requirements. The applicable limits depend on the vehicle, engine and pollutant, so a higher number does not mean that every individual numerical limit changed. Later stages can also alter testing and durability requirements.

🔗 legislation.gov.uk • Regulation (EC) 715/2007, Annex I, Euro 5/6 tables (UK official legislation copy)

🔗 consilium.europa.eu • Council of the EU, Euro 7 adoption explanation, 12 April 2024

Can petrol and diesel vehicles with the same Euro number have different emission limits?

Yes. The applicable emission limits and testing requirements can differ according to the vehicle category, engine and fuel type even when vehicles belong to the same general Euro generation.

🔗 legislation.gov.uk • Regulation (EC) 715/2007, Annex I, Euro 5/6 tables (UK official legislation copy)

🔗 consilium.europa.eu • Council of the EU, Euro 7 adoption explanation, 12 April 2024

1 Slovakia 2 Motorway 3 Expressway 4 Speed limit 5 Bike path 6 Slope 7 Bus stop 8 Roundabout 9 Railway crossing 10 Wrong-way driving 11 Traffic lights 12 Traffic mirror 13 Parking 14 Reversing 15 City limit 16 Licence plate 17 Bus 18 Police 19 Ambulance 20 European emission standard 21 Pothole 22 Path 23 Particulates 24 Air pollution 25 Rush hour 26 Road code 27 Street gutter 28 Cargo bike 29 Forestry vehicle 30 Construction vehicle 31 Semi-trailer truck 32 Trolleybus 33 Speed pedelec 34 Delivery vehicle 35 Idling 36 Tow truck 37 Four-wheel drive 38 Bicycle 39 Motorcycle equipment 40 Rail track 41 Caravan 42 Trailer 43 Tow hitch 44 Fire truck 45 Siren 46 Convoy 47 Emergency vehicle lighting 48 Agricultural machinery 49 Electric bicycle 50 Electric vehicle 51 Pedelec 52 Quadricycle 53 Microcar 54 All-terrain vehicle 55 Van 56 Recreational vehicle 57 Scooter 58 Trikke 59 Personal mobility device 60 Skateboard 61 Segway 62 Kick scooter 63 Roller skates 64 Mailman 65 Hitchhiker 66 Toddler 67 Child 68 Disability 69 Motorail 70 km/h 71 mph 72 Speedometer 73 Ride height 74 Dirt road 75 Driving 76 Start-stop system 77 Manual transmission 78 Automatic transmission 79 Throttle 80 Tachometer 81 Steering wheel 82 Power steering 83 Visual scanning 84 Mirror 85 Fuel 86 Fuel gauge 87 Petrol 88 Diesel 89 Diesel exhaust fluid 90 Car insurance 91 First aid kit 92 Fire extinguisher 93 High-visibility clothing 94 First aid 95 Concrete step barrier 96 Barriers 97 Vehicle lights 98 Street lights 99 Dipped beam 100 High beam ...