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Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Emissions from non-road mobile machinery

What is non-road mobile machinery (NRMM)?

Compared to road vehicles, NRMM covers a very wide variety of machinery typically used off the road in many ways. It comprises, for example

  • small gardening and handheld equipment (lawn mowers, chainsaws, etc.)
  • construction machinery (excavators, loaders, bulldozers, etc.)
  • agricultural & farming machinery (harvesters, cultivators, etc.)
  • even railcars, locomotives and inland waterway vessels.

The problem

Pollutant emissions from combustion engines installed in NRMM (e.g. diesel or gasoline fuelled engines) significantly contribute to air pollution by emitting carbon oxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter.

The objective

The objective is to progressively reduce the pollutant emissions and to phase out equipment with the most polluting engines.

The legislation

Emissions from these engines are regulated by a new regulation which applies as of 1 January 2017 ('NRMM Regulation'):

Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 September 2016 on requirements relating to gaseous and particulate pollutant emission limits and type-approval for internal combustion engines for non-road mobile machinery, amending Regulations (EU) No 1024/2012 and (EU) No 167/2013, and amending and repealing Directive 97/68/EC.

Regulation 2016/1628 is supplemented by the following

  • Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/654 of 19 December 2016 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to technical and general requirements relating to emission limits and type-approval for internal combustion engines for non-road mobile machinery.
  • Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/236 of 20 December 2017 correcting the Estonian language version of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/654
  • Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/655 of 19 December 2016 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to monitoring of gaseous pollutant emissions from in-service internal combustion engines installed in non-road mobile machinery.
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/656 of 19 December 2016 laying down the administrative requirements relating to emission limits and type-approval of internal combustion engines for non-road mobile machinery in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
  • Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/987 of 27 April 2018 amending and correcting Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/655 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to monitoring of gaseous pollutant emissions from in-service internal combustion engines installed in non-road mobile machinery
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/988 of 27 April 2018 amending and correcting Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/656 laying down the administrative requirements relating to emission limits and type-approval of internal combustion engines for non-road mobile machinery in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 of the European Parliament and of the Council
  • Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/989 of 18 May 2018 amending and correcting Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/654 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to technical and general requirements relating to emission limits and type-approval for internal combustion engines for non-road mobile machinery
  • Regulation (EU) 2020/1040 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2020 amending Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 as regards its transitional provisions in order to address the impact of the COVID-19 crisis
  • Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1398 of 4 June 2021 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/654 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the acceptance of approvals granted in accordance with Regulations Nos 49 and 96 of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations (UNECE)
  • Regulation (EU) 2021/1068 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 amending Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 as regards its transitional provisions for certain machinery fitted with engines in the power ranges greater than or equal to 56 kW and less than 130 kW, and greater than or equal to 300 kW, in order to address the impact of the COVID-19 crisis
  • Regulation (EU) 2022/992 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2022 amending Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 as regards the extension of the empowerment of the Commission to adopt delegated acts
  • Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2387 of 30 August 2022 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/655 as regards the adaptation of the provisions on monitoring of gaseous pollutant emissions from in-service internal combustion engines installed in non-road mobile machinery to include engines with power of less than 56 kW and more than 560 kW

The new NRMM Regulation

The NRMM Regulation defines emission limits for NRMM engines for different power ranges and applications. It also lays down the procedures engine manufacturers have to follow in order to obtain type-approval of their engines – which is a prerequisite for placing their engines on the EU market.

Impact of the new NRMM Regulation

Good for business and good for the environment

  • Protects health of EU citizens
  • Protects the environment and improves air quality in the EU
  • Ensures the good functioning of the internal market for NRMM engines, avoiding market distortions and market fragmentation in the EU - ensures a level playing field on global markets
  • Avoids unfair competition from non-compliant low-cost products

Approval authorities and technical services

EU countries have to notify the Commission of the approval authorities and technical services for non-road mobile machinery emissions.