EP INTA publishes draft recommendation on vehicle harmonisation
On March 29, 2016, the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee (INTA) published its draft recommendation on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of Revision 3 of the Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for the reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions (‘Revised 1958 Agreement’) (13954/2015 – C8-0112/2016 – 2015/0249(NLE)). The draft recommendation was put together by INTA Committee chair Bernd Lange (S&D, DE).
The recommendation explains that, given the growing interconnectedness of global markets (up to 40% of European industrial products are manufactured from imported upstream products) and since industrial production increasingly takes place in global value chains, the removal of unnecessary barriers to trade and cooperation in regulatory matters are fundamental to maintaining and strengthening a competitive and diversified industrial base in Europe.
The automotive industry and the related auxiliary industries are a core economic sector for the European Union. The automotive sector provides jobs for 12 million people and accounts for 4% of the EU’s GDP. It is important for upstream industries (e.g. steel, chemicals) and downstream industries (e.g. ICT, mobility services). The EU is among the world’s biggest producers of motor vehicles and the sector represents the largest private investor in research and development.
To read the full draft recommendation, please click here.
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In: Growth & Competitiveness