If the industry is to remain competitive in the future, it will need to adapt ever more swiftly to changing demands from consumers, shareholders and society as a whole, but also from regulators. Continuing to invest in R&D and to explore innovative technologies will be the key, just as continuing training to ensure a skilled workforce. All this requires the collaboration of the different parts of the supply chain as well as the mobilisation of large resources.

Policymakers also have a vital role to play for achieving these long time goals. Improving and making regulation leaner and more effective frees up scarce resources for long term investment as well.

The European Union has made steps in this sense with its Better Regulation policy aiming at simplifying and improving existing regulation, to better design new regulation and to reinforce the respect and the effectiveness of the rules.

According to the communication “Third strategic review of Better Regulation in the European Union” of January 2009 significant progress has been made over the last four years in implementing the better regulation agenda by:

·           simplifying legislation that is already on the books to ensure that it is up to date and more accessible

·           cutting red-tape and implementing a programme focused on reducing administrative burdens for businesses. To ensure that new legislation and policies are of the highest quality possible, it has rolled out a wide-ranging and ambitious impact assessment system

·           developing together with the Member States more efficient and effective approaches to ensuring that Community law is correctly applied.

Despite these efforts it is still uncertain, a heavy burden and a long process not matching the times of the industry.

Every piece of legislation has to be balanced because it has an impact on both technology and employment. It the legislation is costly then employment suffers.

According to the EU Better Regulation strategy is based on three key action lines:

·           Promoting the design and application of better regulation tools at the EU level, notably simplification, reduction of administrative burdens and impact assessment.

·           Working more closely with Member States to ensure that better regulation principles are applied consistently throughout the EU by all regulators.

·           Reinforcing the constructive dialogue between stakeholders and all regulators at the EU and national levels.

Following this latest point and aware of the positive impact of stable and consistent regulation, CLEPA and EMF will act together to jointly contribute so that every new piece of legislation boosts competitiveness rather than hinder it.

Ideas and concrete proposals on how to actively contribute to this process will be explored during a roundtable discussion/debate that will take place in Brussels in October 2010. Around 100 authoritative representatives from the industry (both car manufacturers and suppliers), the trade unions, national and regional authorities, European institutions and environmental groups will meet to debate together and formulate suggestions in order for the principles of better regulation to be fully implemented in the EU, especially regarding:

·           Forward-looking regulatory framework and clear choices from the European legislator in terms, for instance, of: future sources of energy and preferred technology for future mobility (electric cars, standards for batteries, plugs in etc.).

·           Predictability of regulatory requirements: transparent regulatory procedures and appropriate consultation of all relevant stakeholders are needed to improve predictability.

·           Cost-effectiveness

·           Simplification of existing legislation

·           High quality and comprehensive impact assessments: performed early in the policy process, they help to ensure that policies achieve their goals.

·           Lead-time

·           International harmonisation & simplification of standards and regulations