Crit’Air vignette under threat in France following vote against LEZ

The National Assembly (the lower house of Parliament in France) has voted to abolish LEZ (the French Low Emission Zones). As a result, the Crit’Air environmental sticker is now on borrowed time. The bill must still be approved before becoming law.

For now, it is still necessary to have a Crit’Air environmental sticker to access many French cities, including Lille, Paris, Strasbourg, Reims, Rouen and Lyon. However, this sticker, which restricts access for "polluting" vehicles, is under threat. The very concept of LEZs has been directly challenged by French MPs. Indeed, in line with the examination of the bill to streamline legislation, the removal of low-emission zones was passed on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, with 98 votes to 51. This doesn't mean that the Crit’Air sticker is no longer required as of now. No! The law hasn't been passed yet. Until then, the sticker remains mandatory for the time being. But the demise of Crit’Air, introduced in 2019, now seems likely in the near future. MPs supporting the end of the system highlight the risk of social exclusion. However, most of them are advocating for another "environmental and social" solution.

(MH with Olivier Duquesne – Source: France Bleue – Picture: © Olivier Duquesne)