A step backwards on the issue of Low Emission Zones in France? In recent years, numerous measures have been put in place, particularly in Paris and the Paris region, to limit the use of cars in the capital and reduce pollution. Crit'Air stickers, the pedestrianization of the "voies sur berge", a speed limit of 30km/h in Paris and 50km/h on the ring road, a reduction in the number of parking spaces, a dedicated car-sharing lane and a ban on through-traffic in the heart of the capital are just some of the restrictions that have been introduced to drastically reduce air pollution.
Similar measures have been introduced in France's fifteen most polluted cities. They are primarily motivated by the fight against global warming, as well as by health concerns, given the harmful effects of pollution on health. These are important issues, but they also have an impact on the daily lives of French people, particularly the most vulnerable, who may not have the means to switch to a hybrid or electric car, or to do without a vehicle. The abolition of the ZFEs could therefore have the direct effect of putting an end to the Crit'Air stickers, and therefore to the ban on the most polluting vehicles according to this classification.
On Wednesday May 28, 2025, members of the FrenchNational Assembly voted in favor of abolishing EPZs as part of a bill to simplify economic life. However, this does not mean that the decision is set in stone, as it may be subject to censure by the French Constitutional Council.
