Diesel Euro 5 ban postponed to October 2027 in Po Valley breakthrough
Drivers across northern Italy can continue using their Euro 5 diesel vehicles for at least another year after the Italian Cabinet approved an emergency decree postponing a planned circulation ban. The measure, confirmed on Friday by the Italy Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, pushes the restriction date from 1 October 2026 to 1 October 2027 for the entire Bacino Padano — the Po Valley basin covering Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna.
Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini, who pushed for the intervention, called it "an important result" that addresses "the concrete needs of families, workers and the production system." Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, he argued that blocking circulation would have left "hundreds of thousands of people on foot" who simply own a Euro 5 diesel vehicle. "A regulation from 20 years ago — that's not green, it's black," he added.
The decree affects a significant portion of Italy's vehicle fleet. National figures show about 3.5 million cars and 600,000 commercial vehicles powered by Euro 5 diesel circulating nationwide. Within the Po Valley alone, that breaks down to over 1.2 million cars and approximately 200,000 commercial vehicles still in daily operation.
A reprieve tied to environmental alternatives
The ban had its origins in a September 2023 decree responding to European Court of Justice condemnations over air quality in the Po Valley. The original timetable would have barred Euro 5 diesels in municipalities with more than 30,000 residents starting October 2025. A summer 2025 amendment already pushed this to October 2026 and narrowed the scope to cities above 100,000 inhabitants.
While Piedmont, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna had already enacted their own suspensions or alternative measures, Lombardy remained the only region still on track for the October 2026 deadline. The new national decree brings uniformity across the basin.
Regions now have twelve additional months to implement equivalent environmental mitigation measures. These could include: incentives for HVO biofuels in public transport; upgrades to heating systems; expanded cycling infrastructure; and car-sharing programmes. Each region must demonstrate that alternative actions achieve pollution reductions comparable to a circulation ban.
Air quality data shows progress amid persistent challenges
Recent monitoring data from regional environmental agencies shows the Po Valley making measurable gains. ARPA figures for 2025 indicate:
• Veneto recorded its best air quality in two decades, with 85% of stations respecting daily PM10 limits — up from just 25% in 2024.
• Lombardy saw all stations meet annual PM10 limits, though Milan still logged 66 days of exceedances for daily limits.
• Emilia-Romagna met annual limits for PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 across all stations, with only Modena exceeding the 35-day daily threshold for PM10.
• Piedmont hit historic lows for PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations, though six urban stations still breached daily limits.
Agency experts attribute the improvements to both policy interventions — including investments by regions, municipalities and businesses — and favourable weather patterns that helped disperse pollutants.
Environmental groups condemn the delay
Not everyone welcomed the decision. Legambiente, Italy's leading environmental organisation, called the postponement "a wrong choice that goes in the opposite direction to what the country needs to address the smog emergency."
Giorgio Zampetti, the group's director general, said: "Air quality doesn't improve by postponing decisions, but by having the courage to make them."
The organisation urged the government and regions to stop "chasing emergencies with derogations and extensions" and instead build a national strategy for sustainable mobility with clear objectives, adequate resources and definitive timelines.
European context shows varied approaches
Italy's delay contrasts with policies elsewhere in Europe, though no uniform approach exists. Germany has restricted Euro 5 diesels in urban low-emission zones since 2020 in cities including Stuttgart and Munich. France introduced its Crit'Air vignette system, with Paris banning all diesels from the capital from January 2024. Spain requires municipalities over 50,000 residents to establish low-emission zones.
All three countries, however, combine restrictions with substantial investment in alternatives: expanded electric vehicle infrastructure, public transport modernisation, and incentive programmes for cleaner vehicles.
For Italian households in the Po Valley, the decree means one more year of certainty. A typical diesel Euro 5 owner — likely driving a vehicle purchased between 2011 and 2015 — avoids the immediate prospect of converting to public transport or purchasing a newer vehicle amid ongoing economic pressures. The median monthly net salary in Italy currently stands around €1,800; a new low-emission vehicle can cost upwards of €20,000.
