The European Commission has proposed a new Framework Regulation on the European type approval system for motor vehicles and their trailers. The proposal aims to address deficiencies in the system, such as differences in interpretation and stringency in application of requirements across Member States, which have led to a loss of confidence in automotive industry processes and criticism of the systems. The Commission has proposed new measures to regain robustness and assure a uniform application of the type-approval system, including the introduction of a national fee to guarantee independence of national authorities and technical services from automobile manufacturers, improved market surveillance, strict procedures for dealing with non-conformities and different interpretations, and a restriction of validity of type-approval certificates to five years. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) fully supports the review and the Commission’s objectives.
