Wednesday, May 28, 2025, the French Parliament made a controversial decision that could have far-reaching consequences for climate policy across Europe. The French National Assembly voted in favour of the abolition of low-carbon zones (ZFE), which aimed at reducing the traffic of the most polluting combustion vehicles.
This decision was met with strong opposition from environmental groups and any public wellness experts. However, the vote was a clear signal of a change of course in French transport policy.
What were the low-carbon zones (ZFE) in France?
Low emanation zones, known as Zone à Faibles Émissions (ZFE), urban areas where vehicle traffic is reduced on the basis of their emissions. The nonsubjective of these zones was improving air quality and protecting the wellness of residents, especially in large cities specified as Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Grenoble or Strasbourg.
A peculiar sticker was needed to navigate in the ZFE. Crit’Air, which classified vehicles from 0 (lowly polluting, e.g. electric) to 5 (most polluting). Vehicles without this sticker could be fined even to 135 euro (about 570 PLN).
Under applicable law, All cities with more than 150 000 inhabitants had to introduce their own ZFE. This strategy has operated for respective years and has been 1 of the pillars of the strategy to combat smog and climate change in the French Republic.
Why were the ZFE abolished?
The decision to abolish low-carbon zones was supported by 98 Membersand against voted 51 parliamentarians. ZFE opponents argued that this strategy mainly affects the lower income social stratawhich are incapable to rapidly replace their vehicles with cleaner ones.
– We are all in favour of improving air quality, but we cannot accomplish this at the expense of social exclusion – said Ian Boucard, MP from the Republican organization (LR).
Critics added that the ZFE did not bring the expected results and are useless, as Pierre Meurin of the National Unity claimed.
Minister for Environmental Transformation, Agnès Pannier-Runnacher, tried to save the system, proposing to leave the ZFE only in Paris and Lyon metropolitan areas, with wide exceptions for local authorities. Unfortunately, her proposal was rejected.
What effect did the ZFE strategy have on air quality?
According to the Ministry of Ecology and Energy, the low-emission zones indeed affected contamination reduction in the largest French cities. Air contamination is estimated to be liable for about 40,000 premature deaths per year France. Minister Pannier-Runnacher stressed that the ZFE helped reduce this scale.
Studies conducted by INSERM (French Environmental medicine Institute) indicate that restrictions on the movement of interior combustion vehicles may lead to decrease in PM2.5 and NO2 levelswhich are straight related to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Is there a precedent for the abolition of the ZFE?
Although the decision to abolish the ZFE is new, the concept of low-carbon zones itself has been tested respective times in court. In 2022 the Court of Justice of the European Union (TEU) ruled in the Paris case that restrictions on the entry of interior combustion vehicles are compatible with EU lawwhere they are intended to improve air quality and do not impose discriminatory conditions.
In addition, in Poland, the National taxation Administration and administrative courts have besides dealt with cases concerning environmental vignettes Crit’Air, confirming their validity as an instrument of environmental policy.
What are the consequences of the abolition of the ZFE?
The abolition of the ZFE is a large blow to French climate policy and could influence the approach of another European countries. According to experts, without restrictions on the traffic of exhaust vehicles, it will be more hard to accomplish the objectives set out in European Green Order, which assumes climate neutrality by 2050.
It is not yet known what solutions will replace the ZFE. any experts propose that Macron's government can focus on increased financing of public transport or additional allowances for the acquisition of electrical vehicles.
Summary
France abolishes low-carbon zones, which divides the public. On the 1 hand, it defends the availability of transport for people with lower incomes, on the another hand, it can worsen air quality and slow down climate action.
Will another European countries follow France? This remains an open substance for the time being. 1 thing is certain – the fight for clean air and the simultaneous provision of social justice becomes an increasingly complicated challenge.
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France abolishes low-carbon zones. ZFE disappears – what does that mean for climate and transport?
