Consultation letter
Mike Lowe
Senior Policy Advisor
Department for Transport
Transport Technology & Standards Division
Zone 2/03
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR
To Whom It May Concern
Helpline: 020 7944 0890
FAX: 020 7944 2196
Email: ecwvtaconsult@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.dft.gov.uk/typeapproval
Our Ref: ECWVTA/CON/2008
2nd June 2008
Dear Consultee,
Public consultation: EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval - Proposed National Approval Schemes, Technical Requirements and Fee Levels
I am writing on behalf of the Department for Transport and the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland to invite your comments on the draft Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2008, including proposals for national approval schemes, technical requirements and inspection fee levels. In addition we are also seeking your comments on related issue of vehicles converted after registration.
This consultation is likely to be of interest to you if you:
- manufacture, build, convert or import motor vehicles or trailers to the UK
- test or develop vehicles
- sell new vehicles or trailers
- are responsible for vehicle approval or certification
The consultation will run from 2nd June 2008 until 22nd August 2008.
Background
The Regulations implement Directive 2007/46/EC which extends EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) from passenger cars to all commercial and goods vehicles including buses, coaches, vans, trucks, trailers and some other specialised vehicles. The Directive comes into force in the UK on 29th April 2009 but mandatory dates will vary dependent upon the vehicle category.
If you are involved in building or part building any of vehicles listed above, you may be responsible for ensuring that the vehicle meets the standards set out in the European Directive and for providing a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) with each vehicle as evidence of its compliance. Without this certificate your vehicle cannot be sold, registered or used on the road either in the UK or within the rest of the European Community.
Purpose of the Regulations
The Regulations detail the operation of the EC Type Approval schemes and the proposed UK national approval schemes; National Small Series Type Approval (NSSTA) and Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA). The Regulations also set out the proposed technical requirements for the national schemes.
The ECWVTA scheme is intended for manufacturers that produce large volumes of vehicles each year for export to the European market. The administrative and technical requirements for that scheme are set out in the Directive itself to which the draft Regulations refer. The proposed national approval schemes are intended for small and medium sized UK firms that build small volumes of vehicles each year for only the UK market.
The technical requirements for vehicles using the national schemes are largely the same as those specified for the EC type approval schemes but the administrative costs of testing and demonstrating compliance should be lower.
Responses
If you have any comments on the proposed regulations, these should be sent to me at the e-mail or postal address by 22nd August 2008. If you have any queries please contact me at the above address.
Electronic copies of the consultation documents are available on the DfT website http://www.dft.gov.uk/typeapprovalconsultation
This consultation has been produced in accordance with the principles of the Government's Code of Practice on Consultation. A copy of the Consultation Criteria is included in the consultation document.
Paper copies of the consultation papers can be obtained by emailing your postal address to ecwvtaconsult@dft.gsi.gov.uk. General enquiries about the proposed regulations should also be made to the same e-mail address.
A summary of responses to this consultation will be published on our website www.dft.gov.uk after the consultation period has closed.
Yours sincerely
Mike Lowe
