European lawmakers back major overhaul to car testing

PRESS STATEMENT - 09.02.2017

The European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee has just voted in favour of a much needed overhaul to the system of approving and checking a car’s emissions and performance.¹

Monique Goyens, Director General of BEUC, has commented:

“The MEPs who voted today have finally taken a bold stance to get things right. They backed a range of strong measures that would go a long way to preventing another Dieselgate scandal from erupting in Europe.

“The cars ending up in the hands of consumers today are guzzling far more gas and emitting bucket loads more pollution than what is being advertised. European consumers deserve better and this agreement takes a good step in the right direction. It indeed requires more market surveillance, better oversight of national authorities and to end the cosy relationship between car makers and testing authorities.

“This vote must also be a wake-up call to Member States because so far their feet have remained firmly on the brakes. Fundamental reform is needed, it is now time that the Council recognises this.”

Background

MEPs have voted in favour of the following measures that BEUC has been advocating for:

• A stronger role for the European Commission to make sure Member States are applying rules in the same way across Europe and the opportunity for the Commission to test cars.
• A minimum quantifiable target (20% of new models) for market surveillance checks across Europe.
• Greater transparency of test results which would mean that car manufacturers, Member States and testing bodies are held more accountable.
• A split in the financial relationships between car makers and privately owned testing services.

1. The IMCO Committee voted on its draft report on type approval and market surveillance.