EU car industry strategy opens to comment

A ten-year roadmap to boost the competitiveness of the European car industry is now open to broad stakeholder input. It focuses on cutting down legislation, improving road safety and reducing pollution.

The European Commission on 5 April launched a public consultation inviting stakeholders to comment on the recommendations of the CARS 21 high-level group published in December last year (EURACTIV 13 Dec. 2005).

The strategy, drafted by top EU and national policy-makers and business leaders in the European automotive industry, came under criticism for being tailor-made to fit manufacturers’ interests in the face of growing competition from emerging economies such as China.

The final report highlighted concern about EU makers access to Chinese market, suggesting that the Commission continues to monitor business and regulatory developments there “with a view to assessing the possibility of success at an eventual WTO dispute settlement panel if the situation does not improve”.

The comments will feed into a new series of proposals to be tabled by the Commission in the third quarter of 2006.

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