What do the Euro 5 and Euro 6 emission standards mean?

The Euro 5 and Euro 6 emission standards for light vehicles are based on Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 and its implementing legislation. They limit emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulates (mass and number). Switzerland adopts these requirements via the VTS.

Euro 5 applies to new type approvals since September 2009, Euro 6 since September 2014 (for all newly registered passenger cars from September 2015). Euro 6 lowers in particular the NOx limits for diesel vehicles significantly; later stages (Euro 6d) additionally introduced real driving emissions (RDE) measurement.

The emission standard, respectively emission category, decisive for a vehicle is documented by the emission code in the registration document and in the ASTRA data.