ETRMA welcomes publication of CARS 2020 action plan

ERJ staff report (LMH)

Brussels - European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers' Association (ETRMA) said it welcomes the publication of the CARS 2020 Action Plan, which was released 8 November by the European Commission. The CARS programme includes guidelines for the enforcement of the EU tyre labelling legislation introduced 1 Nov.

“This is a much awaited and positive step and it needs to be implemented urgently,” commented Fazilet Cinaralp, Secretary General of ETRMA.

The tyre sector is one of the most regulated in Europe and it has been one of the most forthcoming in promoting regulations for “greener” transport, enhanced road safety, and consumer protection. As a consequence, the decision of the Commission to carry out competitiveness proofing exercises ahead of future legislative initiatives is greatly welcomed, ETRMA said, nothing that “achieving a level playing field through correct and timely implementation of EU tyre-related legislation is equally important.”

Despite hopeful data from tyre production in 2011, current estimates show a new 10 percent plunge in both sales and production for 2012 and an even worse forecast for 2013, ETRMA said, adding that its data shows that tyre production has not yet returned to its pre-crisis levels. With the EU tyre market progressively shrinking, increasing tyre imports and regulations heavily impacting the sector, the CARS 2020 Action Plan is necessary to give the automotive industry the right tools to maintain its position as an important engine of the EU economy, the association said.

“With the EU tyre market shrinking, the European tyre industry keeps investing in research and technology, it is therefore our hope that this renewed commitment of the European Commission towards the automotive industry will make us stronger in the face of an economic downturn that still continues”, Cinaralp concluded.

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News release from ETRMA