Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha signed and issued a roadmap on 28/11, outlining national emission standards for automobiles. According to this roadmap, automobiles manufactured before 1999 will adopt euro 1 standards, while those produced between 1999 and 2016 will apply euro 2 standards from 3/2026. Vehicles manufactured from 2017 to 2021 must meet emission level 3, equivalent to euro 3. Automobiles produced from 2022 onwards will be subject to euro 4 standards starting 1/3/2026, two months later than initially proposed.

Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City will implement stricter automobile emission standards. From 2027, vehicles manufactured between 2017 and 2021 will be required to meet euro 4 standards. A year later, from 2028, automobiles produced from 2022 onwards will need to comply with euro 5 standards. By 2029, all automobiles operating in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City must meet emission regulations at level 2 or higher, with carbon monoxide (CO) levels capped at 3.5% and hydrocarbon (HC) at 800 ppm.

Vehicles moving at An Phu intersection, Ho Chi Minh City, 24/1. *Photo: Quynh Tran*

The national emission standards specify that for gasoline vehicles, emission level 3 limits carbon monoxide (CO) concentration to a maximum of 3%, and hydrocarbon (HC) to 600 parts per million (ppm). For emission level 4, these two indicators are significantly reduced to 0.5% and 300 ppm, respectively. This decision does not apply to foreign-registered vehicles permitted for transit, temporary import, re-export with a specific term, or vehicles under the management of the Ministry of National Defense or the Ministry of Public Security.

The government has also directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to continue researching and developing regulations to enhance national emission standards for automobiles, submitting the next roadmap to the Prime Minister for announcement. Concurrently, the Ministry of Science and Technology is tasked with reviewing national technical standards for fuels to revise and supplement them in line with the emission roadmap. Provinces and cities are required to coordinate with the managing ministry to inspect and monitor fuel quality in the market. If necessary, local authorities may implement stricter emission standards in restricted emission zones.

In addition to the automobile emission roadmap, a similar plan for motorbike emissions is currently under proposal. According to the draft, motorbikes in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City will undergo emission inspections starting 7/2027. Other major cities, including Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho, and Hue, will implement this later, from 7/2028. The Deputy Prime Minister has requested ministries and agencies to clarify the policy's impact on residents and businesses, especially in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, to ensure feasibility during implementation.

The automobile emission tightening roadmap is as follows:

Thuy Truong