Trattori stretti in dirittura d'arrivo

Approval of a definitive text on emissions which would bring in the interests of the industries manufacturing specialist tractors is expected in February. It turns out that in the eyes of the European Union bodies the direct transition from Phase IIIB to Phase V is the most rational and sustainable solution

The complicated issue of the norm for narrow tractor tractors has now reached a turning point. There are expectations that negotiations on engine categories currently underway will be concluded for the definitive launch of a measure which should acknowledge the specific features of specialist tractors and sanction a method to apply which is compatible with the requirements of these industies. During work on the revision of European Union legislation on exhaust emission norms, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, FederUnacoma, joined by CEMA,  the Committee of European Manufacturers, and the European association of professional farmers, COPA-COGECA, underscored that Phase IV for narrow track tractors in the 56 to 130 kW category would apply for only two years and three months, a span of time which would clearly be unsustainable for the planning of the industries. In dealing with the three European Union institutions charged with final approval of measures regulating these emissions, the European Commission, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, the federation affirmed that the solution for the issue would be to adopt opportune legislative changes to authorize the use of Phase IIIB engine norm during a transition to Phase V, from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021 to provide a concrete alternative to Phase IV. Last December, during final negotiations on the Emissions Regulation, the federation managed, in the Parliament and the Council, to then fine tune their request for a modification of the legislation with the addition of two complementary measures to apply to narrow track tractors in the power range of 56 to 130 kW. The first would be extending type-approval to September 30, 2017 for maintaining Phase IIIB in compliance with the amendments to Delegated Acts of no. 167/2013 on type-approval of tractors up for publication in August 2016. The second measure calls for upping the flexibility quota from 20% to 150% to allow the production and marketing of these IIIB machines during Phase IV, from October 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019.

Achieving these results is a fundamental issue for the manufacturers of these specialist tractors and now approval depends on the emissions regulation which should come out before the end of February, 2016.