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(BRUSSELS) – Plans to tighten up EU car ‘type approval’ rules in the wake of the Volkswagen (VW) scandal were debated by members of the European Parliament’s Internal Market committee on Thursday.
The new draft regulation aims to reinforce the independence and quality of testing that allows a car to be placed on the market, step up surveillance of cars already in circulation and provide for greater EU oversight.
The plans include stricter supervision of tests before a car goes on the market and more stringent obligations on EU Member States to check that those already on the road meet all EU safety, environmental and production requirements.
Last year’s VW case highlighted weaknesses in the implementation of type-approval rules for motor vehicles in the EU. In January 2016, as part of preparations from previous years but also in response to the VW case, the Commission proposed strengthening the type-approval system.
British MEP Daniel Dalton, who is steering this legislation through Parliament, tabled 196 amendments to the Commission’s draft regulation to overhaul the current system, including on the obligations of the national approval authorities, market surveillance authorities and car manufacturers, the designation of the technical services performing the tests, the duration of the type-approvals and on the access to the vehicle’s software and “engine management strategies”.
Other changes proposed in the draft report concern the role foreseen for the EU Commission in market surveillance, recalls and on the administrative fines to be imposed in the event of infringements. The provisions on a “national fee structure” for type-approvals and market surveillance costs were deleted by the rapporteur.
The debate focused on issues such as market surveillance, the Commission’s role and the fee structure.
Other MEPs now have until 13 October to table their amendments to the draft law. The vote in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee is expected to take place at the end of November 2016.
Further information, European Parliament
EP Research briefing – Motor vehicles: New approval and market surveillance rules
