Cleaner cars: Internal Market MEPs debate changes to type-approval rules | WPN World People News

MEPs’ plans to tighten up EU car “type approval” rules, in the wake of the VW scandal, were discussed in the Internal Market Committee on Thursday. These include stricter supervision of tests done before a car can be placed 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.

Daniel Dalton (ECR, UK), who is steering this legislation through Parliament, has 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 Mr Dalton’s 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.

During the debate, several MEPs expressed different views on how to better strengthen the current system, on issues such as market surveillance, the Commission’s role and the fee structure. Mr Dalton welcomed the “robust debate” on his amendments, stating at the end that “what we all agree on is that cars must be clean and safe”.

Other MEPs have until 13 October 2016 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.

Source: European Parliament