Euro-3 and Euro-4 standards for car production have been extended for a year

The validity of environmental standards Euro-3 and Euro-4 for cars produced in Russia has been extended for one year, until December 31, 2013 and 2016, respectively, a government decree on this was published in Rossiyskaya Gazeta, RIA Novosti reports.

In addition, the validity of vehicle type approvals and certificates of conformity in relation to automotive vehicles of Euro-3 standards and certificates of conformity in relation to internal combustion engines of Euro-3 standard has been extended for one year until December 31, 2012, and in relation to Euro-4 is limited to 31 December 2015 inclusive.

In October, the Russian government approved an agreement between FAS, Rostekhnadzor and Rosstandart with oil companies on programs for the construction and reconstruction of oil refining capacities.

It is planned that by April 2012 the issue of sanctions against companies that do not fulfill their modernization obligations will be resolved.

According to the agreement, changes were made to the current technical regulations to extend the circulation of Euro-2 class gasoline and diesel fuel until December 31, 2012, Euro-3 class until December 31, 2014, and Euro-4 class until December 31, 2015.

For the Euro-5 class, the period is unlimited.

The head of the Ministry of Energy, Sergei Shmatko, said that the government’s decision to change the technical regulations on fuel is a reaction to the state of the country’s vehicle fleet, 50% of which still use Euro-2 gasoline and lower.

In addition, according to the minister, a number of refineries were unable to complete modernization and install at their enterprises the installations necessary to produce higher quality fuel.