Bologna, September 2, 2026 – From October 1, the structural ban on Euro 5 diesel cars should also take effect in Emilia-Romagna. However, the Region is working to identify effective and measurable compensatory solutions capable of ensuring air quality improvement goals without having to stop the most polluting vehicles.
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More than 250,000 vehicles in the territory will be involved.
After the postponements decided in recent months, the date has been set barring further news expected by the end of the month: from Monday to Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., diesel cars registered approximately between 2011 and August 2015 will no longer be allowed to circulate in the municipalities of Emilia-Romagna with over 100,000 inhabitants.
A tightening that directly affects thousands of Emilia-Romagna motorists.
The ban should last until March 2027 and will follow the same deadlines in the coming years. Some Regions may decide to include smaller municipalities as well (the Emilia-Romagna has left the option to other administrations to join), but for now it concerns: Bologna, Modena, Rimini, Reggio Emilia, Parma, Ravenna, Forlì and Piacenza.
A concrete problem for those who use the car to go to work, accompany children, or reach services and offices. The ban applies during the central hours of the working day and risks weighing especially on those who do not have the economic means to change their car immediately.
The measure stems from European directives on air quality and the obligation for the Po Valley regions to reduce pollutant emissions.
But the deadline has already sparked discussion.
The Region is studying compensatory measures
At the moment, the regional administration is studying a way to identify measures other than the Euro 5 diesel car ban that can still guarantee the air quality improvement goals. The aim is to protect the health of citizens with the least possible impact on families and economic activities, already heavily burdened by rising energy costs. To this end, at the end of July, on the proposal of the Regional Council, a specific law was approved in the Legislative Assembly.
Since the issue concerns the entire Po Basin, as air has no borders. At this moment Viale Aldo Moro is finalizing discussions with Lombardy and Veneto to reach as much as possible shared choices by the end of September.
Mastacchi (Rete Civica): “Find different tools”
Marco Mastacchi, regional councilor of Rete Civica asked in an inquiry how the Emilia-Romagna Region “intends to proceed with an update of the Regional Integrated Air Plan, following the model already approved by the Piedmont Region, in order to achieve emission reduction goals through tools other than the generalized circulation ban – asks Mastacchi –. Piedmont recently approved the update of its Regional Air Quality Plan (PRQA), identifying a set of compensatory and alternative measures to the Euro 5 diesel vehicle ban, declared suitable to achieve similar environmental results. The choice will allow avoiding the stoppage of over 300,000 Euro 5 diesel vehicles through interventions concerning public transport, the use of HVO biofuels, sustainable mobility, traffic optimization, the agricultural sector, and civil heating. The Lombardy Region has also started evaluations about the possibility of adopting alternative measures.”
For Mastacchi, the possible application of the ban would have significant economic and social repercussions, especially on families and productive categories.
Hence the request in the inspection act to start studies, technical evaluations, or institutional discussions aimed at identifying alternative measures to the Euro 5 diesel vehicle ban scheduled for October 1, 2026.
What are Euro 5 diesel cars
Euro 5 diesel cars circulating in 2023 in Italy, according to Anfia (Automotive Industry Supply Chain Association) data, are over 3.7 million in Italy, out of a circulating car fleet of over 40.9 million vehicles. Euro 5 cars are those registered from January 1, 2011, to August 31, 2015.
