We identify and keep track of worldwide regulatory changes with the focus on areas such as:
product compliance, product safety, vehicle type approval and homologation, import restrictions, international trade law, radio certification, material compliance, chemistry, environmental regulations, electric vehicles, cybersecurity and autonomous driving.
Below you will find an excerpt of the world News on regulations from these areas.
Please contact us for a comprehensive overview of the topic or specific countries.
Annexes of the EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement were revised including those covering the recognition of UNECE regulations for vehicles and their parts
The EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement entered into force on 1 February 2019. Its Appendix 2-C covers motor vehicles and their parts and lists those for which both parties recognize UNECE regulations. Recently, some new UNECE regulations were added to the list.
New requirements for due diligence requirements in supply chains regarding human rights and the environment in the EU and Germany are taking shape.
Supply chains have been in focus in recent months, not only because of the huge disruptions caused by COVID-19. In the first half of 2020, the European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, announced that in 2021 the European Commission would propose legislation on mandatory corporate due diligence with regards to human rights and environmental risks across supply chains of big businesses
Soon, new EU RoHS exemptions may be published.
According to article 5 of the RoHS Directive (EU Directive 2011/65/EU), exemptions to the EU RoHS general rules must be reviewed every five years in order to remain consistent with scientific and technical progress. Since Directive entered into force on 21 July 2011, the second review may take place soon.
The European Commission’s public consultation on emergency lane-keeping systems (ELKS) will be open for comments till 11 February 2021
Under new EU vehicle safety rules, all new car and van models must be equipped with emergency lane-keeping systems (ELKS) from July 2022, and existing models from July 2024. The system helps drivers stay safely within their lane or the road boundary, to avoid accidents. The consultation is aimed at setting out the requirements and tests for approving vehicles with these systems.
EU proposed a draft Regulation concerning batteries and waste batteries, repealing the existing Battery Directive 2006/66/EC
The European Commission published a 130-pages long draft of a new Regulation on batteries which is supposed to repeal the Directive 2006/66/EC and amend Regulation (EU) No 2019/1020. This regulatory initiative is an integral part of the EU’s Green Deal and its attempts at a clean energy transition. It is aimed, among others, at making the Europe’s automotive sector curb its greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions.
The General Safety Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 on type-approval requirements for motor vehicles as regards their general safety may be supplemented.
The European Commission published two draft Commission Delegated Regulations supplementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 with regard to the driver drowsiness and attention warning systems and the alcohol interlock installation facilitation in motor vehicles. The draft Regulations will amend the Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/858 on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles.
395 MEPs voted to support the “right to repair” resolution which is expected to simplify the repair process of consumers’ products and promote sustainability in the European Union.
The European Parliament is planning on promoting overall sustainability in the European Union by improving the life span and repairability of consumer products. According to a Eurobarometer survey, 77% of EU citizens stated that they prefer to have their devices repaired instead of replaced and 79% stated that manufacturers should be obliged to simplify the repair process for consumers’ devices.
The European Commission published a draft Delegated Regulation amending the provisions on vehicle on-board diagnostics information and repair and maintenance information.
Draft Commission Delegated Regulation amending Annex X to Regulation (EU) 2018/858 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the standardized access to vehicle on-board diagnostics information and repair and maintenance information, and the requirements and procedures for access to vehicle security information was published recently.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has launched a new database for information on Substances of Concern
The database called SCIP is destined for information on Substances of Concern In articles as such or in complex objects (Products) established under the Waste Framework Directive (WFD). The aim is to make recycling of products safer and improve information about dangerous chemicals in products.
Only a couple days are left until the European Commission’s public consultation on the Euro 7 emission standard closes
The public consultation on a possible review of the current Euro 6/VI emission standards which started on the 6 July 2020 is coming to an end. Stakeholders can submit their views only until 9 November 2020.
Postponement of Euro 5 for motorcycles until 2022EU decided to give motorcycles one more year to comply with the Euro 5 emission standard
The Council of the EU and the European Parliament decided to endorse the European Commission’s proposal adapting the rules on end-of-series vehicles in EU Regulation 168/2013 on the approval and market surveillance of two- or three-wheel vehicles and quadricycles. This means that motorcycle dealers and companies across Europe will have the possibility to sell their stock of Euro 4 vehicles until 31 December 2021.
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation
The Commission Regulation (EU) No 461/2010 (the “Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation”, MVBER) is currently the competition law framework for the automotive sector focusing on aftermarket issues. Among others, it contains rules on access to technical information for all independent operators, the freedom to source and supply spare parts
In the future, ecodesign rules may apply to a much wider range of products in the EU
The EU Commission is currently carrying out a public consultation about a review of the Ecodesign Directive. The initiative aims to make products placed on the EU market more sustainable. Its goal is to widen the scope of the Ecodesign Directive beyond energy related products and made applicable to the broadest possible range of products.
A couple of days ago, the European Commission decided where OEMs and type approval authorities will have to share and exchange data of certificates of conformity for vehicles
According to the Regulation (EU) 2018/858 on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles, the European Commission was supposed to adopt implementing acts setting out, among others, the means of exchange of the data of the certificate of conformity in electronic format.
The European Commission is planning to amend the Regulation (EU) 2019/631 setting CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles
In August 2020, a public consultation about the update of the data that EU countries must monitor and report on CO2 emissions for cars and light vans was carried out by the European Commission. Under discussion was a draft delegated regulation amending Annexes I, II and III to Regulation (EU) 2019/631 to update the monitoring parameters and clarify certain aspects relating to the change in the regulatory test procedure.
