Type approval: auto industry welcomes agreement on reformed system

Under this agreement, member states will have to carry out checks on vehicles circulating on their roads at the rate of at least one for every 40,000 newly-registered vehicles (with a minimum of five tests per member state). Twenty percent of these tests will be on emissions. The European Commission will also be empowered to conduct audits on each national type approval authority every five years.

The deal foresees the creation of a Forum for Exchange of Information and Enforcement, which has the potential to bring uniform interpretations to the system and increase EU oversight. The strict criteria for technical services that conduct the tests, based on international standards and applied by accredited bodies, should also further improve the quality of vehicle testing.

“ACEA has always supported the core objectives of strengthening market surveillance and improving the current system, as well as further harmonising it,” stated ACEA Secretary General, Erik Jonnaert. “The agreement reached yesterday seems to strike a balance between the aim to make the whole type approval system more robust and efficient, and the need to avoid excessive administrative burden for car manufacturers.”

The compromise deal requires approval from the Parliament and member states before becoming law.

Jonnaert: “This proposal is expected to give the legal certainty and clarity needed by our industry. We are confident that this more robust approval and surveillance system will enable the automobile industry to regain consumer trust.”

ACEA will further analyse the details once the full agreement is available.