Currently, cars in the European Union need to meet what're called Euro 4 emissions standards. In the near future, emissions levels will be restricted further and the numerical signifier will increase. Euro 5 should kick in in 2009, and Euro 6 follows five years later (or so). Particulate and NOx emissions are targets of the Euro standards.

These changes don't come for free, and the EU has released an estimate of how much these upcoming changes will affect the price of new diesel vehicles and how the restrictions will affect the health of Europeans. It's a good news, bad news situation. The bad news is that between Euro 4 and Euro 5, the price for diesel cars will climb 377 € and later, between Euro 5 and Euro 6, the cost will go up another 213€. The good news is that when both Euro 5 and 6 are implemented, about 3,900 premature deaths will be prevented in 2020, and about 3,180,000 "reduced activity days" will be prevented. You can find more details on the costs and benefits here

Related:

• Euro 5 for 2009

[Source: European Union]