Fees for vehicle tests

Debates are underway in the European Parliament on plans to establish standardised European Union (EU)-type approval fees for automobiles, to be paid to national funds as opposed to individual test houses, writes Keith Nuthall. The European Commission argues that this system could break links between testing houses and automobile makers, which it fears could be partly responsible for the ‘dieselgate’ scandal, where Volkswagen vehicles were cleared for sale on the basis of false emissions data. However, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) fears that differences between charges imposed by member states ‘may lead to distortions of the level playing field’ in the EU market.

The European Parliament’s internal market and consumer protection committee (IMCO) has begun debating the proposal.

In a consultation paper, ACEA said member states would have to perform market surveillance on vehicles, and calls for a scheme that distributes costs fairly across the EU, which ‘provides budgetary predictability for vehicle manufacturers’. ACEA also argues that testing facility ‘availability, quality and efficiency’ should be maintained. It concludes: ‘Free choice of technical service for type approval is paramount to maintain a functioning system and to avoid distorting competition between EU and non-EU countries.’