On 3^e Ministerial Committee for Air Quality on 19 March 2024, the Minister for the Ecological Transition confirmed the continuous improvement of air quality in the main French agglomerations and the consequences for existing or future low-emission zones (EPZs).

The EPZ obligations are lighter for agglomerations of Marseille, Rouen and Strasbourg, which no longer regularly exceed regulatory air quality thresholds. They are no longer obliged to continue implementing the legal timetable which provided for the restriction of the movement of Crit’air 3 cars to 1^er January 2025.

In total, 40 agglomerations are now placed in "vigilance territories". The 2 agglomerations of Paris and Lyon are still subject to the obligations relating to ‘effective EPZ territories’ due to their regular exceedance of the threshold limits.

Effective EPZ territories and surveillance territories

Low emission zones aim to reduce the health impact of road traffic-induced air pollution. The implementation of this measure shall be gradual and determined by local air quality levels.

The 2021 Climate and Resilience Act provides for the establishment of EPZs by 1^er january 2025 in all agglomerations of more than 150,000 inhabitants where the air quality values recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) are exceeded. 42 agglomerations are concerned.

Only agglomerations which regularly exceed the regulatory thresholds must comply with a timetable of restrictions which will lead to restrictions on the circulation of Crit'air 3 to 1 cars^er January 2025: Paris and Lyon are concerned.

Effective EPZ Territories

Agglomerations that consistently exceed regulatory air quality thresholds are effective EPZ territories (Paris and Lyon); they must respect the legislative timetable, the next deadline of which provides for restrictions for diesel cars over 14 years of age and petrol cars over 19 years of age on 1^er January 2025 (Crit’Air 3).

Watchdog Territories

Agglomerations that meet regulatory air quality thresholds but have pollution levels above the WHO recommended values are vigilance territories. They are divided into 2 categories:

• agglomerations which have not yet introduced rules (30 agglomerations): they must restrict traffic before 1^er January 2025 means cars registered before 31 December 1996 and/or light commercial vehicles registered before 30 September 1997 and/or heavy goods vehicles registered before 30 September 2001, i.e. unclassified vehicles;
• The agglomerations where EPZs already exist (10 agglomerations): all agglomerations have at least established or provided for the minimum restrictions laid down by law and no longer have an obligation to reinforce their current restrictions.

Infographie - Deployment of low-emission areas in 2024

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