The European Commission has agreed a framework strategy for the European motor industry.
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In a communique it outlined the direction in which it intends to steer future automotive policy:
- Reduction of administrative burdens: The commission will propose replacing 38 EC directives with corresponding global UN/ECE regulations, for instance on tyres, safety glass, fog lamps and seatbelts. By doing so, industry can rely on one single text valid throughout the world. In addition, self testing and virtual testing will be introduced for 25 directives and UN/ECE regulations to reduce compliance costs and make administrative procedures less costly and time consuming.
- Reduction of CO2 emissions: The commission strategy is based on an integrated approach, involving not only engine technology, but also technological improvements (eg setting minimum requirements for air conditioning systems, the compulsory fitting of tyre pressure monitoring systems, setting maximum tyre rolling resistance limits and the use of gear shift indicators) and increased use of bio-fuels. It also focuses on additional efforts by member states like traffic management, improvement of driver behaviour and infrastructure as well to further reduce CO2 emissions.
- Road safety: The commission believes an effective road safety strategy should be based on a combination of improvement in vehicle technology, road infrastructure, driver behaviour and enforcement. A total of 11 future actions are proposed, including for example the mandatory inclusion of electronic stability control and seat belt reminders and obligatory daytime running lights for new vehicles.
- Trade: The commission proposes to assess the potential of using bi-lateral trade agreements (particularly in the Asian region) to improve market access and reinforce the need to enforce intellectual property rights globally.
- Research and development: Clean renewable fuels and vehicles and intelligent vehicles and roads have been identified as core research priorities. With approximately EUR20bn, about 5% of the industry’s turnover, invested into research and product development the automotive industry is the largest R&D investor in Europe in absolute terms.
The European vehicle manufacturers trade association ACEA said that the communique “does not fully incorporate the recommendations of the EC high-level group CARS 21 of December 2005”.
ACEA said that this group, which included the commissioners Dimas, Verheugen and Barrot, six national ministers, five car industry CEOs, MEPs and representatives of consumer groups, explicitly called for “better regulation” and following an integrated approach to important policy fields such as road safety and CO2 emissions.
CARS 21 dealt with balancing economic and environmental issues in a cost-effective and sustainable way. “It was an example of coherent and responsible industrial policy”, said ACEA.
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By GlobalData“We ask EU legislators to cherish the positive contributions of CARS 21.”
