Bologna, September 3, 2026 – “We hope the rumors reported by the press are founded that the Emilia-Romagna Region is considering alternative measures to the Euro 5 diesel ban scheduled for next October 1st. It would be a sign of pragmatism and attention towards thousands of families, workers, artisans, and small businesses.” This is what the president of the Forza Italia Group in the Emilia-Romagna Legislative Assembly and regional party secretary Pietro Vignali declares, regarding the inquiry he presented to the Regional Council to ask for clarifications on the hypotheses of using HVO vegetable diesel and the Move-In system as possible alternative tools to the ban on circulation of Euro 5 diesel vehicles. We wrote it: the Emilia-Romagna Region is studying solutions to avoid the ban from October 1st. And the strategy has triggered a series of political reactions.
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“The example of the Piedmont Region”
“Important signals are coming from other Regions of the Po Valley . In particular, Piedmont, led by President Alberto Cirio, has already approved a plan aimed at achieving environmental goals through compensatory measures, avoiding the generalized ban on Euro 5 – continues the regional leader of Forza Italia –. Precisely for this reason, we ask the Regional Council led by Michele De Pascale to clarify. If alternative solutions are really being considered, it is necessary to know the timing, methods, and above all the concrete impact these measures would have on citizens.”
“Alternatives should not be new penalties”
According to Vignali, in fact, alternatives to the Euro 5 ban must not turn into new penalties: “The HVO hypothesis raises several questions. What would be the additional costs for motorists and businesses compared to traditional diesel? Would all vehicles be compatible? And above all, how would the actual use of this fuel be controlled? These are questions to which the Region must provide clear answers before making any decision.” Concerns also relate to the Move-In: “A system based on generalized mileage limits can heavily impact the daily life of those living in peripheral areas. Many citizens are forced every day to travel dozens of kilometers to reach their workplace, take their children to school, or access essential services. For example, if you live in Casalecchio and have to go to Bologna every day, you will very quickly exhaust the mileage allowance available to you. This reality cannot be ignored.” “No one questions the need to reduce emissions. However, environmental policies must be effective but also socially and economically sustainable. It is therefore good to consider alternative solutions to the Euro 5 ban, but provided that they do not translate into new costs, new obligations, or new limitations for Emilia-Romagna citizens and businesses,” concludes Vignali.
The position of Brothers of Italy
On the same topic, Marta Evangelisti, regional group leader of Brothers of Italy, also intervenes.
“The council should clarify what the orientations are regarding the application of restrictions on the circulation of Euro 5 diesel vehicles – asks Evangelisti – and whether it intends to enhance access to flexibility and mileage monitoring tools, such as the Move-In system, promoting the spread of ecological and energy transition solutions. The ongoing complex economic situation, characterized by difficulties for families and businesses in terms of purchasing power and energy costs, makes the impact of strict restrictive measures on vehicle circulation particularly burdensome,” explains Evangelisti. Referring precisely to the Euro 5 issue, the group leader recalls how “other Northern Regions of Italy have started mitigation, suspension, or reconversion paths aimed at protecting commuter and productive population groups who cannot immediately afford to purchase a new car.”
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“Economic support measures for families”
In her inspection act, the councilor also recalls how alternative solutions of compensation and technological incentives, such as the Move-In system and the use of HVO biofuels, are under study by the Regional Council, also incorporated within the framework of the recent regional REFIT legislation. Hence the inquiry to the council to also ask about economic support measures to assist families, employees, artisans, and small businesses who will bear the burden of any mobility restrictions, safeguarding the productive and economic fabric of the Emilia-Romagna territory.
But what has Piedmont done?
At the end of July, Piedmont approved the PRQA, that is, the Regional Air Quality Plan.
Among the planned actions are incentives for the use of HVO biofuels for local public transport and for Euro 5 and Euro 6 diesel vehicles, “a solution that allows a significant reduction of climate-altering emissions and local pollutants without requiring the immediate replacement of the existing vehicle fleet – explain the Piedmont administrators –. The plan also aims to strengthen investments in sustainable mobility, promoting the enhancement of public transport, cycling infrastructure, intermodality, and shared mobility systems. Particular attention will be given to the digitalization of urban mobility through the use of artificial intelligence-based technologies to optimize traffic flows, reduce congestion, and limit emissions resulting from inefficient driving conditions. Among the innovative interventions, advanced air filtration systems in areas most exposed to atmospheric pollutants are also included.”
“The PRQA update does not focus exclusively on the transport sector. A significant share of fine particulate and ammonia emissions actually comes from the agricultural, livestock, and residential heating sectors. For this reason, specific measures are planned for farms, with the adoption of innovative techniques to reduce ammonia emissions, as well as interventions to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and promote the replacement of the most obsolete and polluting heating systems.
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