Latest news with #Crit'Air
Business Wire
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Wire
European Automotive, Mobility Firms Adopt AI, Robotics
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Automotive and mobility enterprises in Europe are increasingly adopting AI and other technologies to lower costs and enhance product quality amid dramatic changes across the industry, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm. European automotive enterprises are rapidly adopting digitalization and sustainability practices in all parts of their business. These initiatives are critical to navigating technological shifts and evolving customer expectations. The 2025 ISG Provider Lens ® Automotive and Mobility Services and Solutions report for Europe finds that the regional industry is at a critical juncture in 2025, navigating demands for sustainability and digitalization due to EU climate targets and evolving consumer expectations. Enterprises are investing in IoT, AI and robotics to enable real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance while making production lines more flexible. 'European automotive enterprises are rapidly adopting digitalization and sustainability practices in all parts of their business,' said Andreas Fahr, partner and manufacturing industry lead for ISG in EMEA. 'These strategic initiatives are critical to navigating technological shifts and evolving customer expectations.' To mitigate global supply chain risks and keep up with competitors, enterprises are localizing battery production, securing access to critical raw materials and investing in development of autonomous and connected vehicle platforms, the report says. These initiatives are designed to reduce dependence on imports and meet EU directives to make mobility more sustainable and maintain Europe's technological leadership. As the value of new vehicles increasingly depends on their digital capabilities, companies are integrating digital platforms and data-driven services to satisfy consumer preferences. The market is embracing personalized, flexible mobility solutions such as car-sharing, subscription services and ride-hailing. Strategies to provide these solutions target new revenue streams in urban areas where traditional ownership is impractical and environmental concerns are heightened. European automakers continue efforts to reduce emissions as the EU introduces stricter standards, such as the FitFor55 program, which pushes manufacturers to produce more low- and zero-emission vehicles, the report says. In addition, national environmental initiatives such as France's Crit'Air program encourage consumers and fleet operators to acquire lower-emission vehicles, subsequently driving manufacturers to prioritize cleaner vehicles. Companies in the region are also exploring new approaches to minimize the long-term environmental impact of EVs. They are adopting strategies such as battery recycling and second-life applications to address resource scarcity and waste management concerns, ensuring sustainable practices that align with efficient resource utilization. 'The European automotive and mobility sector is embracing lifecycle sustainability practices in product design,' said Harish B, manager and principal analyst, ISG Provider Lens, and lead author of the report. 'This approach mitigates environmental impact and addresses resource challenges.' The report also explores other European automotive and mobility trends, including growing investments in skills development and a surge in data connectivity transforming vehicles into digital platforms. For more insights into the challenges faced by automotive and mobility enterprises in Europe, along with ISG's advice for addressing them, see the ISG Provider Lens ® Focal Points briefing here. The 2025 ISG Provider Lens ® Automotive and Mobility Services and Solutions report for Europe evaluates the capabilities of 41 providers across five quadrants: Automotive Engineering and Manufacturing Services, Electric Vehicles and Mobility Services, Autonomous Systems and Software-defined Vehicles, Automotive Retail and Aftermarket Services and Technology Transformation and Consulting. The report names Accenture, Capgemini, Cognizant, HCLTech, IBM, Infosys, TCS, and Wipro as Leaders in all five quadrants. It names Akkodis and Tech Mahindra as Leaders in four quadrants each. KPIT, LTTS, PwC and T-Systems are named as Leaders in three quadrants. Deloitte, DXC Technology, EY and Tata Elxsi are named as Leaders in two quadrants. Aptiv, LTIMindtree and UST are named as Leaders in one quadrant each. In addition, CI&T, Cyient, Genpact and UST are named as Rising Stars — companies with a 'promising portfolio' and 'high future potential' by ISG's definition — in one quadrant each. A customized version of the report is available from T-Systems. The 2025 ISG Provider Lens ® Automotive and Mobility Services and Solutions report for Europe is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage. About ISG Provider Lens ® Research The ISG Provider Lens ® Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage. About ISG ISG (Nasdaq: III) is a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm. A trusted partner to more than 900 clients, including 75 of the world's top 100 enterprises, ISG is a long-time leader in technology and business services that is now at the forefront of leveraging AI to help organizations achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm, founded in 2006, is known for its proprietary market data, in-depth knowledge of provider ecosystems, and the expertise of its 1,600 professionals worldwide working together to help clients maximize the value of their technology investments.
Local France
18-06-2025
- Business
- Local France
What's in France's new 'simplification' law?
The simplification bill was finally passed in the Assemblée nationale on Tuesday. The headline-grabber in the bill was an amendment to scrap the Low Emissions Zones in French cities - although that might still be open to challenge. READ ALSO Is this the end of France's Crit'Air zones for drivers? But there's a lot more in this bill, which has had a complicated life - introduced by Gabriel Attal's government last year and halted first by last summer's snap election, then the collapse of Michel Barnier government, it has had hundreds of amendments added and subtracted during its lengthy parliamentary journey. The bill contains 26 main measures intended to cut bureaucracy, and simplify administration, mostly aimed at businesses. It is based on a parliamentary report from February 2024 and was presented with an action plan that includes 26 other regulatory measures. Administration and and business life Governments can use decrees and ordinances to simplify administrative procedures and cut down the number of forms and procedures that businesses have to follow. More operations will be digitised, while the bill provides several policies to improve information sharing between government departments to reduce unnecessary duplication for businesses. Advertisement The government will also have to examine how future legislation might impact small and medium-sized businesses when bills are drafted. This should avoid brouhahas similar to the proposal to introduce lower VAT limits on micro-entrepreneurs . Under the terms of the bill, by 2028 all public procurement contracts – including those from hospitals and social security organisations – will be handled through a single online platform to give businesses better access to necessary public procurement information. To make it easier to sell companies with fewer than 50 employees, the legal period for employers to inform employees has been reduced to one month and the fine for failure to provide information has been reduced. And professional bank account services will also be improved, including the ability to close an account without charge. In terms of insurance, with regard to property damage, the draft law sets limits on the timeframes for compensating individual and professional policyholders at six months maximum from the date of the claim in cases where an expert is appointed, and two months in almost all other cases. In addition, it extends the obligation for insurers to justify their decision to unilaterally terminate business insurance contracts, and gives very small businesses and SMEs the right to terminate property insurance at any time after the first anniversary of the contract. Industrial and infrastructure projects To encourage the establishment of factories or energy transition projects, exemptions from common law are provided for in various areas, such as the installation of wind turbines or relay antennas, and compensation for damage to biodiversity caused by development projects, particularly industrial projects. Advertisement An amendment by the government will make it possible to recognise the imperative reason of major public interest much earlier in the development of projects, and supplemented to allow the recognition of the public interest status for projects that have already been declared – including the controversial A69 autoroute in south-west France. The bill provides, under certain conditions, for industrial-scale data centres to be classified as projects of major national interest, to speed up planning processes. The mandate of the National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties is also amended to take into account innovation issues in all areas of its work. Payslips Future payslips will be simplified under the remit of the bill to contain just 15 lines of information. Details about restaurant tickets and travel expenses will be available separately, but precise details have yet to be confirmed. READ ALSO : How to understand your French payslip✎ Advertisement Rural cafés The bill includes measures to make it easier to open cafés and bars in rural areas by making it simpler to get a type four alcohol licence, known as a Licence IV, which covers spirits and liquor. READ ALSO France moves to bring back village bars in bid to boost rural social lives Government mediation The bill includes measures to make complaints against the French administration system easier, with a 'generalisation' of mediation, while current deadlines in place on taking legal action against the government will be put on hold. Small businesses, micro-entrepreneurs and employees will certainly cheer several measures intended to make their daily lives easier, and the 'tell us once' policy that cuts out the duplication of required information will speed up certain processes, but at this stage it is difficult to judge how much simply life might become.
Local France
08-06-2025
- Business
- Local France
Remote working rules, tax errors and Poutine - 6 essential articles for life in France
For those of working age who want to move to France, the opportunity of working remotely for a company back in your home country can seem an ideal solution. As part of a special series of articles on remote working in France , we've already pointed out important things around residency and tax rules to consider, plus your status as an employee or self-employed worker. However, if you're in a Tl:dr frame of mind – and there's a lot to digest – here's a summary of everything you need to know. So you want to move to France and work remotely? It's deadline time for the French income tax declaration – so what should you do if you realise you have made a mistake? Whether it's missing a deadline , filling in the form wrong or forgetting to declare foreign bank accounts, here's a look at how to correct errors. What to do if you make a mistake with your French taxes Spain is pushing ahead with tough new measures to limit the purchase of real estate by non-resident foreigners, in order to try and tackle its housing crisis. So is France – which also has a housing shortage – likely to follow suit? This story has been bubbling away for a while, but here's the latest. Will France follow Spain's 100% tax on non-EU house-buyers? At the end of last month, France's MPs voted in favour of scrapping low-emission zones – but this might not spell the end for France's patchwork of ' zones à faible émission ' and their Crit'Air sticker system. We explain. Advertisement Is this the end of France's Crit'Air zones for drivers? There's a popular misconception that obesity is not a problem in France - whole books have even been written on this subject (such as the famous French Women Don't Get Fat ). In reality, however, not only is it a problem but one the government considers requires a whole new campaign to tackle. So, we ask… How serious is France's obesity problem? If you read French media you may have noticed that the Russian premier's name is spelled Poutine, rather than the more usual western rendering of Putin, and his name is also pronounced differently in news broadcasts. There's a reason for that… Why do the French call the Russian leader Poutine?
Local France
05-06-2025
- Business
- Local France
PODCAST: Has Uber changed France and will smoking ever be banned on café terraces?
Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France's Emma Pearson, Genevieve Mansfield and John Lichfield for the latest episode of the Talking France podcast. The dispute between taxi drivers and ride-hail services like Uber is a long-standing one that flared up again this week - so will they ever reach an understanding? You can find the Talking France podcast on Spotify or Apple, download it here or listen on the link below. The Talking France team also explores France's latest ban on smoking outdoors, and whether it will have any impact on those famous café terraces. Advertisement We also hear about another effort by French authorities to keep the air clean, via low-emission zones. Recently, France's parliament voted to get rid of these low-emission zones, but the Talking France team discusses the obstacles in the way of that coming to fruition. And after receiving guidance from French tax authorities, we wade into the notoriously tricky topic of remote working in France. Stick around until the end to hear about whether or not French drivers deserve their negative reputation, plus a handy tip for what to do when you are being tailgated in France. EXTRA READING What you need to know about taking a taxi in Paris Explained: France's new smoking ban rules So you want to move to France and work remotely? Is this the end of France's Crit'Air zones for drivers? Swearing, honking and tailgating: French drivers ranked among worst in Europe Talking France is a free podcast made possible by the support of paying members of The Local - you can find out more about becoming a member here . You can also help us by leaving a nice review, sharing the podcast on social media, or just telling a friend about us.
Local France
30-05-2025
- Automotive
- Local France
Is this the end of France's Crit'Air zones for drivers?
If you're driving in France's biggest towns and cities, your vehicle will need to display a sticker known as Crit'Air, denoting how polluting it is. Some of the oldest and most polluting vehicles under the Crit'Air scheme are banned from city centres, with plans to expand these low-emissions zones. First introduced in 2017, the low-emissions zones have helped to lower pollution levels in some cities, but they have long been the target of complaints that they are overly complicated and confusing, as well as poorly enforced. Because many of the rules were introduced on a local level, France ended up with a patchwork of different regulations, meaning the same vehicle might be allowed in the town centre in Bordeaux, but not in Paris. Added to that is the fact that local authorities can implement temporary bans on days when pollution levels are high. READ MORE: Crit'Air: How France's vehicle emissions stickers work A new law in 2021 aimed to standardise rules and expand the zones to smaller towns, although wide local disparities remain. Why are we talking about this now? On Wednesday, French MPs voted in favour of an amendment that would scrap low-emission zones, or zones à faibles émissions (ZFEs), as defined in the 2021 law. Advertisement The goal of ZFEs is to decrease air pollution, which contributes to thousands of deaths in France each year, but critics have said that the ZFEs penalise lower-income workers who rely on their vehicles for daily life and cannot afford to replace them with a newer, more environmentally friendly model. The move to get rid of ZFEs was primarily supported by members of the right and far-right, as well as some left-wing politicians. But despite the vote, it is not certain that the low-emission zones will actually be scrapped. What's next? The move to scrap low-emission zones was added as an amendment to a bill currently making its way through parliament, known as the 'simplification' bill , it aims to streamline administrative processes. As of Friday, there were still over 600 amendments left to study before MPs could vote on the full bill. Then, in order to pass, the bill must receive majority support in the Assemblée nationale. Even if the bill as a whole does pass, there are still several hurdles to clear. Firstly, the amendment related to ZFEs could also end up being scrapped by France's Constitutional Council (Conseil Constitutionnel). This happens relatively often in the French legislative process - if MPs add an amendment that is completely unrelated to the original idea of the bill, then the Conseil Constitutionnel has the power to deny it. READ MORE: EXPLAINED: What is France's Constitutional Council and how does it work? The other concern for French lawmakers has to do with the EU. The EU promised to give France €40 billion in subsidies as part of its 2020 European recovery plan , with the understanding that France would take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. If France fails to meet these commitments, the country could be required to pay a portion of the aid money back to the EU. On top of that, France's own Conseil d'État (Council of State) could force the country to pay penalties for failing to meet air quality thresholds if the ZFEs are scrapped, French news site Capital reported. Advertisement What is the current status of the low-emission zones? As of January 2025, there were 42 urban areas classified as ZFEs, meaning motorists must display the Crit'Air sticker, but the requirement to gradually increase bans on polluting vehicles has been diluted quite a bit in the last few years, in response to criticism. READ MORE: MAP: The French cities with Crit'Air low emission zones in 2025 Initially, as part of France's 'climate and resistance law' from 2021, the parliament voted to gradually require urban areas with more than 150,000 inhabitants to bring in low-emission zones. The idea was that from 2023, Crit'Air 5 vehicles would be banned, then Crit'Air 4 vehicles from 2024 and eventually Crit'Air 3 vehicles from 2025. However, in reality, local authorities have been allowed to enforce the rules by their own standards, meaning the exceptions from city to city still vary greatly. Advertisement Following pushback from the public, the French government announced in 2023 they would soften the plans. They decided instead to create two separate distinctions for urban areas based on pollution levels. Cities that regularly exceed air quality thresholds (now called ZFE 'Territories') would have to continue to restrict highly polluting vehicles according to the original rules. In contrast, urban areas that stay within air quality thresholds would be considered 'vigilance zones' and would not be required to enforce new restrictions, though they can do so voluntarily. At the start of 2025, only a handful of cities opted to tighten restrictions on polluting vehicles, while Paris and Lyon were the only two classed as ZFE 'Territories' and required to restrict Crit'Air 3 vehicles. So do I still need a Crit'Air sticker? Fascinating as the French parliamentary process undoubtedly is, for most drivers the big question will be whether you still need a Crit'Air sticker to drive in France (and remember that these are required for foreign-registered vehicles as well). At present, the answer is yes, they are still required - it will take several months to exhaust the various next parliamentary steps, and then a date for ending the scheme must be formalised. In truth, Crit'Air is one of the most straightforward pieces of French admin - you order the sticker online (there's even an English-language version of the website ) at a cost of €3.18 if you are in France or €4.91 if you are in another country. The sticker lasts as long as you keep the vehicle.
