The introduction of the environmental badge bases on the ordinance on the identification of less pollutant vehicles from the 10.10.2006, published on the Official Journal of the Federal Republic of Germany on the 16.10.2006 and entered into force on the 01.03.2007, also known under the code 35. BImSchV.
According to this text, cities, municipalities and communities are allowed since the 01.03.2007 to set up on their territory so called environmental zones, in which traffic will be restricted. Vehicles not bearing a valid environmental badge are not allowed to drive in these zones.
In the 1st ordinance on the modification of the ordinance on the identification of the less emitting vehicles, the German Bundesrat decided on the 14.11.2007, in accordance with the prescriptions of the federal government, to add a regulation about the G-Kat catalysators et about systems for the reduction of fine particles emissions.
The introduction of environmental zones in Germany bases on two directives from the European Union:
The directive 1996/62/EG from the Council about the observation and the control of air quality dated 27.09.1996, in which the EU permits the European cities to introduce environmental zones under the article 8 paragraph 3, and the directive 1999/30/EG from the Council dated 22.04.1999, about the legal emissions rates for nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen monoxides, sulphur dioxide, fine particles and plumb in the air, as indicated under article 5, paragraph 5.
In the law 39. BImSchV about air quality et the legal maximum emissions rates, the directive 2008/50/EG from the European parliament and the Council dated 21 of Mai 2008 about air quality and pure air in Europe has been transposed in the German national law on the 02.08.2010.