The rules allow municipal councils in all Danish municipalities to establish zero-emission zones in specifiedurban areas, where, as a general rule, only vehicles that do not emit CO2 may be used.

Act amending the Environmental Protection Act (option for municipalities to establish zero-emission zones inconfined urban areas, introduce absolute cumulation for infringements of environmental zone regulation, etc.)

The draft Act will allow municipal councils in Denmark to establish zero-emission zones in specified urbanareas, where, as a general rule, only zero-emission vehicles are allowed to enter.

The draft Act proposes that the Minister of Environment be authorised to lay down the detailed rules for thezero-emission zone scheme, including the content requirements, the information basis that the municipalcouncil must issue in public consultation and in subsequent consultation with the Minister of Environment, aswell as procedural requirements, such as the involvement of the public in the municipality’s proposal toestablish a zero-emission zone.
It is proposed that municipal councils should be able to choose between two types of zero-emission zones.One type of zone covers only passenger traffic (passenger cars, minibuses, vans, vans used exclusively forprivate purposes, motorcycles, mopeds and taxis), whereas the other type of zone covers all other traffic(including other vans, lorries and tractors). In order to facilitate trade, goods deliveries and constructionprojects in the zone, it is proposed to exempt buses weighing more than 3 500 kg and lorries weighing morethan 12 tonnes. It is also proposed that vehicles used by the armed forces or foreign military forces present inDenmark by agreement with the Danish State or as part of Denmark's international obligations, the police,rescue services or similar emergency services be exempted from the requirements in order to ensure that theywill not be prevented from carrying out their work.
A zero-emission zone must be established in such a way that it will continue to be possible to live, shop andmove freely within the zone, and therefore clear general exemptions and specific derogations for citizens andeconomic operators must be ensured. It is therefore proposed that the Minister of Environment be authorisedto lay down detailed rules on general exemptions. Since zero-emission zones can be established in specifiedurban areas, it is assessed that the case officers of the individual municipalities have the best local knowledgein terms of assessing and deciding specific cases of derogation. It is therefore proposed that the individualmunicipalities decide on any derogation practices for their own zero-emission zones. In order to ensureuniform derogation practices, the Minister for Environment is authorised to set up a framework within whichmunicipal councils may grant derogation. The derogation practices will ensure that special vehicles or specificsituations are taken into account.