ZFEs are urban areas where access is restricted to the most polluting vehicles, identified by their Crit'Air sticker. Established to improve air quality, they aimed to reduce emissions of fine particles and nitrogen oxides, responsible for numerous respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Since January 1, 2025, 43 French urban areas with more than 150,000 inhabitants have been required to establish a ZFE.
Why consider their abolition?
The abolition of ZFEs has been motivated by social and economic arguments. Opponents denounce a socially unfair measure, penalizing low-income households forced to own older vehicles, which are often prohibited from accessing and driving in these city center areas. Their removal could allow the circulation of 2.7 million additional vehicles, particularly in cities like Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, and Montpellier.
However, even though the national law to remove LEZs has passed its first reading, some Low Emission Zones could remain in force locally, depending on the decisions of local authorities or municipal authorities.
For example, the City of Paris has always been ahead of the curve on traffic restrictions. The Greater Paris LEZ, already in place, does not depend solely on national legislation: it is organized at the inter-municipal level by the Greater Paris Metropolis, with the support of Paris City Hall. Anne Hidalgo and several local elected officials have affirmed their desire to maintain strong anti-pollution measures, even if the national law evolves. In this case, the ZFE could remain in place through local regulation.
Just like the Lyon Metropolitan Area, led by a Green majority, which has also expressed its intention to continue implementing an ambitious policy to reduce automobile pollution. Here too, ZFEs could be maintained through municipal or metropolitan decrees, regardless of national law.
Is the Crit’Air sticker still mandatory?
Yes, the Crit’Air sticker remains mandatory. Despite the vote by the National Assembly, the abolition of ZFEs is not yet final. The bill still needs to be voted on as a whole by the National Assembly and then examined by the Senate. The Constitutional Council could also censor the article, deeming it irrelevant to the original text.
In the meantime, ZFEs remain in force in the affected areas, and the Crit’Air sticker remains mandatory for driving in these areas or during pollution episodes where differentiated traffic is introduced.
Can I get a refund for the Crit’Air sticker?
Currently, there is no official mechanism for refunding Crit’Air stickers, even in the context of the planned abolition of ZFEs. The cost of a Crit’Air sticker is modest (around €3.11), and no refund mechanism has been announced or implemented by the authorities. Even if ZFEs were definitively abolished, it is unlikely that the State would offer a refund, given the low cost of the sticker and the lack of precedent in this area!
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