Vietnam  has decided to  put on hold  the  implementation  of Euro  4-equivalent  emission 

standards for diesel cars until next year to allow automobile companies more time to adher

e to the new guidelines. 

The decisions follow requests from importers and manufacturers to delay the implementat

ion,  given  they were unable  to  adjust  their business  without  the  certainty  that Euro-4 

equivalent diesel fuel would be available in the country. Euro-4 diesel fuel is not yet sold in 

Vietnam. 

Importers and manufacturers will be required to start selling Euro 4-compliant diesel-fueled 

cars from January 1, 2018, a year later than previously planned, according to a decision by 

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung in March. 

All  the new  units  of Euro-2  standard, which  hav  not  finished  customs  and  registration 

procedures by then, will have to be exported. 

Under a government scheme unveiled in 2011, Vietnam planned to adopt Euro 4-equivale

nt fuel for  new  automobiles  from  January  1, 2017, moving to Euro 5 from January 2022.

New motorcycles were required to adopt Euro 3 standards from January 1, 2017. 

The government  asked  oil  companies  to ensure they supplied fuel meeting the emission 

standards mapped out in the 2011 directive, but failed to release a roadmap for the sale of 

cleaner fossil fuels.