EU officials should revisit a hastily agreed trade deal with the US, where the EU said it “intends to accept” lower US vehicle standards, say the cities – including Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam – and more than 75 civil society organisations. In a letter to European lawmakers, the signatories warn that aligning European standards with lax rules in the US would weaken the EU’s global leadership in road safety, public health, climate policy and competitiveness.
road safety
The deal agreed in the summer says “With respect to automobiles, the United States and the European Union intend to accept each other’s standards and provide mutual recognition.” Nevertheless, EU vehicle safety regulations have supported a 36% reduction in European road deaths since 2010. In contrast, road deaths in the US increased by 30% over the same period, with pedestrian deaths increasing by 80% and cyclist deaths increasing by 50%.
Europe currently has mandatory requirements for life-saving technologies such as pedestrian protection, automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance. Some of the most basic pedestrian safety requirements that have long been in place in the EU, such as deformation zones in front of vehicles and restrictions on sharp edges to reduce crash severity, have made cars like the Tesla Cybertruck illegal to sell in Europe.
“Europe has built its reputation on leading strong vehicle standards. Accepting inferior US standards would destroy the EU’s decades of progress.” signatories say, according to the letter “The consequences of such a move for European road safety would be profound.,
European air quality and health at risk
The European Union is set to impose limits on harmful pollution from brakes and tire wear from 2026, while the US moves to weaken air pollution rules for vehicles. Accepting weaker US standards would increase European exposure to pollutants linked to asthma, cancer and many cardiovascular and neurological conditions, signatories have warned.
Threat to jobs in Europe
Major EU brands such as BMW, Mercedes and Stellantis are already building large numbers of vehicles conforming to EU standards in US automotive plants – particularly large SUVs. However, if lower US vehicle standards are accepted in Europe, these production lines can produce vehicles to these US lower standards, before shipping these vehicles to the EU. Overall, vehicle production will shift from the EU to the US. Accepting lower US car standards would risk massive job losses in EU car plants and across Europe’s automotive supply chain.
Existing import loopholes should be closed
The European Commission is already working to tighten individual vehicle approvals (IVAs), which are being abused to put thousands of large American pick-up trucks on EU roads without complying with key EU safety, air pollution and climate standards. Now accepting lower American vehicle standards across the board will open the door to American pickups and large SUVs.
The signatories urged EU parliamentarians to oppose the EU-US joint statement’s intention to accept lower US vehicle standards and to publicly reaffirm that EU vehicle standards cannot be compromised.
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