Almost a week after the EU and US issued a joint statement on a trade deal struck at the end of July, the European Commission has yet to clarify what concessions it is prepared to make over car safety and environmental standards, raising concerns about a potential influx of gas-guzzling pick-up trucks., reports 24brussels.
During a press briefing in Brussels, a Commission spokesperson noted that the joint statement indicated a mutual interest between Brussels and Washington in mitigating trade barriers. However, specifics concerning potential adjustments to EU emissions limits remain undisclosed.
The official added that discussions would focus on recognizing some standards from each side or streamlining processes, such as conformity assessments, but offered no details regarding a potential review of current stringent EU regulations. “Details were yet to be discussed with the United States,” the spokesperson clarified, emphasizing ongoing commitment to existing regulatory objectives.
Jonathan O’Riordan, the international trade director of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), expressed uncertainty about the Commission’s intentions in these negotiations.
O’Riordan proposed that upcoming talks may address collaborative efforts toward future standards for automated driving, labeling it a less controversial topic than the mutual recognition of existing standards—an area in which he does not expect the Commission to make significant headway.
Disadvantage
Despite this, O’Riordan acknowledged that any recognition of looser US emissions regulations by Brussels could place EU manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage. He refrained from speculating on ACEA’s possible responses should this scenario occur.
“In terms of the environmental aspect, I guess there’s been a lot of investment … in technologies that reduce carbon emissions and pollutants,” he stated. “Therefore, yes, if you have imports that don’t have to qualify with the same threshold, then there is a potentially competitive disadvantage.”
Carmakers’ focus: tariffs
Four major European car manufacturers were contacted for comment on this issue. German companies Volkswagen and BMW welcomed the aspect of the EU-US trade agreement that reduces import tariffs on European vehicles from 27.5% to 15%, but neither provided input on the matter of mutual standards recognition.
A spokesperson for BMW pointed out that “many details have not yet been disclosed.” Stellantis, a multinational company from Italy, France, and America, declined to comment, while French manufacturer Renault did not respond before the publication deadline.
Critics
The green NGO Transport and Environment (T&E) quickly articulated concerns regarding the EU-US deal, identifying a potential risk of heightened imports of large, environmentally detrimental American pick-ups.
“Allowing more US SUVs and pick-ups to be sold under much lower safety and air pollution standards would be a betrayal of all EU citizens,” declared T&E’s vehicles policy manager, James Nix. He emphasized that mutual recognition would necessitate discarding European regulations that enforce critical safety features like emergency braking, seat belt reminders, and prohibitions against sharp vehicle edges. According to Nix, it will be up to EU lawmakers and ministers to decide whether to reverse two decades of road safety progress.
Only the Commission possesses the authority to outline its plans regarding the mutual recognition promise, yet clarity remains elusive even among EU bureaucrats.
(rh, aw)
