E U Legislation Update
February 2007FIVA Legislation Commission Working Group meeting
On 23-24 February,FIVA’s Legislation Commission Working Group met. Key discussions, decisions and conclusions of the meeting included:
? Commission structure: Horst Brüning the Chairman noted that the Legislation Commission (LC) is now comprised of 21 members from across the EU. Members are expected to provide information and advice about managing about national regulatory developments and are expected to lobby their national Governments and MEPs when necessary. The LC Working Group (WG) will consist of members proposed by the LC and confirmed by the General Committee. WG members will be tasked with specific policy Commission responsibilities. The LC will meet 1-2 times a year. The WG will meet 4 times a year.
? Environmental policy: it was noted that environmental policy and regulation developments present the greatest threat to the use of historic vehicles in particular the developments of urban/regional vehicle bans specifically targeting “older” vehicles and urban Low Emission Zones (LEZ). The threat is compounded by the increasing “cleanliness” of new vehicles and the increasing size of the HV park.
? Data compilation: the LC members will continue to compile information to better understand national environmental regulation impacting HVs so that FIVA can make the best possible defence against proposed HV restrictions – specifically on Low Emission Zones, congestion charging zones, temporary or staggered regional/urban vehicle bans, taxation based on emissions (CO2), tax exemptions or fiscal tax benefits provided to HVs and relevant studies or academic work.
? FIVA Research: it was noted that Geoff Smith and Andrew Burt had a positive meeting with a European Commission DG Environment official responsible for air quality issues to discuss the UK and European Research Report. The official made clear that he welcomed the reports, and said that the DG Environment has sympathy for vehicles up to the end of the 1960s but is concerned about vehicles of the 1970s/1980s and in particular all old diesel commercial vehicles. Members then reported on national actions taken to promote the national reports. It was also agreed that further research is necessary to build on the valuable information provided by the Research Project.
? Road safety: current issues are the European Commission’s consultation on the use of daytime running lights – and similar national initiatives (the LC was recently able to help the Polish federation argue for an exemption for HVs from a planned national DRL requirement); and the proposed Directive for the retrofitting of blind spot mirrors to trucks. At FIVA’s request, the European Parliament has proposed to make clearer the exemption for historic vehicles from this blind spot mirror proposed Directive – LC members have been lobbying their MEPs to support this proposed amendment when the vote takes place in March.
? FIVA Drivers’ Code: members explained that their national federation have been disseminating the translated versions of FIVA’s Drivers’ Code – so far more than 220,000 in several languages have been distributed.
? HV definition: members continued discussions on the definition of a historic vehicle – this debate will be ongoing because of the increasing environmental legislation much of which is focusing on older vehicles as an environmental concern.
? United Nations: Horst Brüning explained that a Swiss based FIA representative who has for many years with the UN is willing to help FIVA and the FIA (through the FIA International Historic Commission) manage its interrelationship with the relevant UN working groups.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIALOGUE
Commission prepares to develop policy on Urban Transport
The European Commission has begun a consultation on a policy for Urban Transport. This debate has evolved from the development of policy initiatives in the 1990s to promote Clean Urban Transport which focused on providing support for local initiatives and providing a centre for shared ideas. Now with the raft of EU air quality, vehicle emission, fuel quality and clean vehicle legislation, the Commission is consulting in anticipation of drafting Green Paper later this year on Urban Transport. The objective is to determine how past initiatives may be integrated together and to see whether it can develop a framework for urban transport which will consider a better understanding of the impact of changing demographics and developing technologies on urban transport and take into account: public transport; the procurement of public transport vehicles; LEZs and restricted zones; the integration of transport systems; cleaner and more efficient vehicles and safety issues in relation to mobility. FIVA will participate in the consultation.
Commission is also starting a consultation to work toward a system to assess the external costs transport
The European Commission is working on a model for the assessment of external costs for transport and on analysis of their internalisation with a view to making a proposal for such a model by mid-2008. To do so, it is planning to make an assessment of the expected economic, social and environmental impact of any internalisation measures to be carried out. The assessment of external costs is a calculation of the costs incurred by the use of a vehicle (pollution, congestion, accidents etc) - the internalisation of those costs is the process whereby those calculated external costs of the transport are borne by that user.
INFORMATION
European Commission to propose car CO2 limits
After public infighting between the Commissioners for Industry and the Environment (see previous EU updates), the European Commission has announced that it plans to draft legislation requiring car manufacturers to cut average carbon dioxide emissions from all new cars sold in the EU to 130 grams per kilometre by 2012 and in parallel propose a series of measure designed to help achieve the previously set objective of 120g/km by 2012. The Commission has suggested that the emissions target could be varied according to vehicle type – with larger cars being required to deliver proportionally greater reductions. The parallel measures designed to deliver the remaining 10g/km may include the introduction of efficiency requirements air conditioning systems, compulsory tyre pressure monitors and maximum tyre rolling resistance limits. Also, reductions in fossil CO2 derived from an increased use of transport biofuels will count towards the 120g/km target. The Commission also wants to stimulate consumer demand for more efficient cars and will accordingly propose amendments to strengthen the fuel efficiency labelling directive and will invite manufacturers to sign up to an EU code of good practice on car marketing and advertising, and continue to encourage member states to base car taxation on CO2 emissions. Following the Commission’s announcement, the European Council overwhelmingly supported the proposals.
Portugal imposes green vehicle taxation system
The Portuguese government has approved a new system to tax road vehicles according to their environmental impact. The plans will come into force in July 2007 and include a one-off purchase tax and an annual road tax. It is proposed that the tax level be calculated according engine size and CO2 emissions. In the first year of the system 30 per cent of the tax will be weighted according to emissions – but this will rise to 60 per cent from July 2008. Diesel vehicles will lose some existing fiscal advantages but the cleanest will be eligible for a €500 rebate.
Germany announces emission-weighted car tax plan
Germany has announced that it is to change its car taxation system to link the amount paid by motorists to the emissions of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants from their vehicles. The tax will be based on releases of CO2, carbon monoxide and fine particles instead of, as now, on engine size. The proposal is in line with the European Commission’s proposal on passenger car taxation. However, those discussions are stalled in the European Council – and Germany which currently holds the rotating Presidency of the Council – has made clear that it has no intention of advancing the discussions at EU level.
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The FIVA Legislation Commission members are: Horst Bruning (Chairman), Tiddo Bresters (the Netherlands), Andrew Burt , (UK), David Davies (UK), Marek Gacek (Poland), Zoltán Gárdos (Hungary), Dage Groop (Finland), Adalberto Gueli (Italy), Peeter Henning (Belgium), Maik Hirschfeld (Germany), David Hurley (UK), Winfried Kallinger (Austria), Jim Krier (Luxembourg), Victor Papadopoulos (Cyprus), Patrick Rollet (France), Zdenek Ruzicka (Czech Republic) and Carla Fiocchi (Secretariat). Andrew Turner of EPPA works with the Committee.