Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has recently chaired a meeting to hear reports and provide feedback on the draft Decision of the Prime Minister regarding the roadmap for applying the National Technical Regulation on exhaust emissions for road-going automobiles.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) suggests that emission standards should be applied based on the vehicle’s manufacturing year.

Specifically, cars produced before 1999 would be Level 1 (Euro 1); and cars manufactured between 1999-2016: Level 2 (Euro 2).

Cars produced between 2017-2021: Level 3 (Euro 3) starting January 1, 2026; but in Hanoi and HCMC, Level 4 (Euro 4) will apply from January 1, 2027.

Cars produced from 2022: Level 4 starting January 1, 2026, and Level 5 (Euro 5) starting January 1, 2032; but in Hanoi and HCMC, Level 5 will apply from January 1, 2028.

From January 1, 2029, all cars operating in Hanoi and HCMC must meet Level 2 or higher.

Notably, car models manufactured and assembled in accordance with the certification on technical safety and environment protection before January 1, 2022, will follow the same emission level as vehicles produced between 2017–2021 (Level 3).

Alignment and consistency

Bui Ngoc Bao, Chair of the Vietnam Petroleum Association, said the proposal is in fact more relaxed than previous regulations.

“PM’s Decision 49/2011/QD-TTg clearly stated that from 2017, new cars must meet Euro 4, and from 2022 onward, Euro 5. So applying Euro 3 for vehicles produced between 2017–2021 is a step backward,” Bao noted.

Also according to Bao, the biggest bottleneck in emission control lies not in vehicle standard, but in fuel quality control.

The Ministry of Construction (and previous Ministry of Transport) has been strict in controlling vehicle emission standards. However, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which oversees fuel, has not aligned fuel standards accordingly.

To date, most gasoline sold on the market only meets Euro 3, while vehicles produced from 2017 require Euro 4 or Euro 5. This mismatch means even high-standard vehicles cannot operate as intended because the fuel does not meet requirements.

“It is like the chicken-and-egg story: an Euro 5 car cannot produce clean emissions if it is using Euro 3 gasoline,” Bao said.

He went on to say that this inconsistency not only harms the environment but also consumers. Automakers import or manufacture Euro 5 vehicles, but no one informs customers that these cars require Euro 5 gasoline. 

Drivers simply choose cheaper fuel, causing faster wear and non-compliant emissions, while manufacturers may refuse warranty claims due to incorrect fuel use.

On the other hand, fuel businesses have little incentive to import higher-quality fuel, as it is more expensive and consumers rarely demand it.

“Only when customers require the correct standard of fuel will businesses be forced to import and supply it,” he said.

Regarding the proposal that Hanoi and HCMC adopt stricter standards (Euro 4), Bao affirmed this is entirely feasible.

“These two cities already have better infrastructure and a higher proportion of newer cars, so applying Euro 4 is appropriate. If implemented well, upgrading to higher-standard fuel could reduce fine dust by up to 20 percent,” he said.

Bao also emphasized that amid worsening air pollution, especially in major cities, adopting higher fuel and emission standards is urgent.

He stressed that the most important factor is ensuring the agreement and comprehensive activities among ministries - MOIT, MAE and local authorities. With consistency, emission control is entirely achievable.

In the final stage, from January 1, 2029, all cars operating in Hanoi and HCMC must meet Level 2 or higher. This timeline is one year earlier than the proposal introduced in early August.

Vehicles that fail to meet emission standards will not be granted inspection certificates and will not be allowed on the road. Owners must have their vehicles checked, repaired, or maintained to meet the required emission level in order to pass inspection and operate legally.

Although necessary, the adoption of new emission standards comes with significant challenges. Vietnam currently has millions of older cars that fail to meet the requirements, and many of them can no longer be upgraded to comply with the new standards.

Dinh Hieu