New ACEA president De Meo (Renault) fights Euro 7

An automotive sector that has been greatly disrupted by external factors

Speaking about the current situation in the European automotive sector, the outgoing president of ACEA, Oliver Zipse, emphasized that in recent years it has been “deeply” affected by both the COVID pandemic, supply chain disruptions, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis.

Caution against over-regulation

Nevertheless, he continued, “The European automotive industry has been a reliable industrial pillar of the EU in these very volatile times. “Despite the importance of the sector for the economic balance of the European Union, Oliver Zipse deplores the brakes applied by the authorities, recalling ACEA’s warning “against excessive regulation” and the call for “technological neutrality”. The basis of EU competitiveness”.

De Meo calls for the urgent implementation of relevant policies

ACEA’s new president Luca de Meo, for his part, said the EU automotive sector urgently needs to implement policies for the future that “fully support Europe’s ‘decarbonisation objective'” and “allow it to face increased global competition”. “We welcome working on a European law on raw materials that should support the continent’s economic sustainability and the transition to zero emissions, committed to investing heavily in electric mobility and creating value and jobs in Europe.”

Euro 7: Big brake on investment in EVs

Luca de Meo attacked the future Euro 7 standard from the beginning, believing that in its current form, still only a proposal, it would “divert large human and financial resources from electrification at a time when other regions of the world are creating an attractive investment environment for zero-emission mobility.”

“ACEA will continue to advocate for the balance between what is good for the environment, what is good for the European economy and what is good for society,” he said.

Our opinion, by leblogauto.com

“It’s hard to ask car manufacturers to invest in electricity and combustion at the same time,” Pascal Canfin, chairman of the European Parliament’s environment committee, recently admitted. However, it should be added as an argument that air pollution kills tens of thousands of people every year.

In mid-November, the European Commission presented a draft law on new pollutant emission limits – the so-called “Euro 7” standards. A text that seeks to avoid over-restricting the automotive industry and consequently sets very low requirements for passenger cars in terms of nitrogen oxides or carbon monoxide emissions. The proposal for the Euro 7 standard does not differ much from the current standards established 12 years ago.

Again, this relative “softness” can have the opposite effect and force automakers to chase two rabbits at once: VE and thermal. Instead, forcing them to make expensive investments without really knowing if they can afford them. Their places of sale are limited by the arrival of new rules.

Source: ACEA