A new era is beginning for diesel-powered construction machinery in Turkey. After years of technological development and system improvements, it has been decided that construction machinery in Turkey will transition to engines compliant with the "Euro Stage V" exhaust emission regulation, which is considered the latest technology in reducing exhaust emissions. This decision was announced in a regulation published on June 28, 2022, and will be implemented in 2023.
The regulation issued by the Ministry of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey regarding this transition includes the following statements:
ARTICLE 1- The fourth and fifth paragraphs of temporary Article 1 of the Regulation on the Requirements for the Limitation of Gaseous and Particulate Pollutant Emissions from Internal Combustion Engines Installed in Non-Road Mobile Machinery (2016/1628/EU), published in the Official Gazette dated 11/9/2020 and numbered 31241, have been amended as follows.
“(4) Until the dates of placing on the market specified in Annex III, the placing on the market of engines not covered by Regulation (EC) No 97/68 may continue to be carried out on the basis of the existing legislation. However, the placing on the market of non-road mobile machinery equipped with engines produced before the dates of placing on the market specified in Annex III is permitted until 31/3/2023.”
(5) The placing on the market of non-road mobile machinery equipped with engines approved according to the third paragraph shall be permitted until 31/3/2023.”
ARTICLE 2- This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication.
ARTICLE 3- This Regulation shall be executed by the Minister of Industry and Technology.
What Exhaust Emission Regulations Are Currently Used in Turkish Construction Machinery?
Before the relevant regulation, the lowest emission standard allowed for construction machinery in Turkey was Euro Stage IIIA and IIIB. With the new regulation, until March 31, 2023, "non-road mobile vehicles" complying with Stage IIIA, IIIB, and IV exhaust emission standards will be permitted for importation and use, previously announced as January 1, 2023, and later postponed to March 31, 2023. Starting from March 31, 2023, the use of Euro Stage V will be required for construction machinery and non-road mobile vehicles.
How Will the Change Impact Construction Machinery Markets?
Especially when it comes to the climate crisis the world is facing, such technological changes, drawn with clear and precise rules, seem to affect all markets, including the construction machinery market. The regulation requiring Euro-5 standard for non-road vehicles is expected to bring about concrete differences in construction machinery markets; this is highlighted as the general interpretation of experts.
It can be said that the transition to Euro Stage V standard will cause movement in the construction machinery market. After this groundbreaking decision for non-road vehicles, machines with higher emission standards are expected to see an increase in prices. While this increase is expected to lead to a decrease in machinery sales and purchases, the rental machinery market is expected to become more vibrant, and the popularity of rented machinery is predicted to increase.
What Is Euro Exhaust Emission Standard?
We can briefly explain the Euro exhaust emission standard as a criterion for emissions. The Euro Exhaust Emission Standard consists of criteria established to regulate and minimize the harmful gas emissions released into the air by motor vehicles.
With the "Euro Standard," over the years, the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere from motor vehicles with internal combustion engines has been gradually reduced, aiming to minimize the emission and its impact on the atmosphere.
What Is Aimed? How Has the Process Been So Far?
Technological advancements aiming to reduce the emission of harmful gases from motor vehicles have reached significant levels with Euro standards, which have been ongoing for more than 20 years. The first concrete step was taken with the Euro-1 regulation, which came into force in 1999, followed by Euro-2 in 2003, Euro-3 in 2006, and Euro-4 in 2016. With each regulation, the emission rates of greenhouse gases from construction machinery and other diesel-powered vehicles were further reduced. With the Euro-V regulation, which came into force in 2020 and will be mandatory for use in construction machinery in Turkey in 2023, the aim is to minimize the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from motor vehicles.
