Brussels, 12/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - Meeting for the very first time on Wednesday 10 November, the new high level group, CARS 21 (see EUROPE 10254), set up four working groups with a view to developing an effective industrial policy for the European automotive sector, looking ahead to post 2020. The mandate assigned to each group will be defined at a later date by the Sherpa group, which meets in December. Each of the four groups is due to begin work in January 2011 with a view to preparing a final report to be drafted by the high level group in 2012.
According to the agreement sealed on Wednesday, the first working group will tackle issues relating to innovation, infrastructure, energy supply and consumption. It is also, in cooperation with the group of experts on fuel for future transport systems, to examine, inter alia, the possibilities created by the development and introduction into the automotive sector of alternative fuels. It is expected to examine the “realistic potential” of electric vehicles and vehicles using alterative fuels (biofuels, methane, hydrogen, etc.), as well as the added value provided by the introduction of smart transport systems.
The second working group will look at trade and international harmonisation. It will above all identify how to ensure “balanced access” to markets in trade talks with third countries, establish what the advantages and challenges facing the motor industry are, and assess the current state of progress of bilateral talks. The group is also called upon to inquire into the possibilities of reaching global harmonisation of automobile technology, thanks to possible amendments to the agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-EEC) on the 1958 technological provisions. It may also examine the risks weighing on access by the industry to the necessary raw material for developing new technologies.
The work of the third group will be on industrial, social and territorial aspects and competiveness. In more concrete terms, it will assess the current situation of the automobile industry and examine how the sector may take into account the social and territorial consequences arising from production needs. The fourth group will handle the internal market and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions policies. Experts from this group should above all make proposals with a view to preparing the future 2020-2030 legislative framework for CO2 emissions for cars and light commercial vehicles. (Aby./transl.jl)