UK-made cars won’t meet EU standards in a No Deal Brexit, warns doom-mongers
Car makers based in the UK will have to pass extra safety and emissions tests to export to the EU
SHOULD the UK come away with a No Deal Brexit, car makers will need to double-up on their safety and emissions tests to export and sell in EU countries.
The government has set out new no-deal guidelines for the industry, which voiced their concerns to Prime Minister Theresa May this week at a motors summit in Birmingham.
Currently, car manufacturers follow standards set out by the European Community Whole Vehicle Type-Approval (ECWVTA).
Cars exported within the EU also need a European Community (EC) type-approval issued by individual countries.
If there is a No Deal Brexit, the UK’s type-approvals will no longer be valid for car sales in the EU.
The same goes for cars imported from EU countries into the UK, despite their aligned requirements.
Existing EC-approved cars would need to be converted into UK ones in order continue selling cars in Britain.
Every vehicle will be affected by the no-deal scenario, as well as tractors and all types of non-road going engines.
Meanwhile, EU regulations for CO2 emissions will be brought into UK law.
The government has been releasing guidelines in the case of a No Deal Brexit so that industries can better understand where they will stand in all scenarios.
However, the British car market has been vocal in its criticisms of a hard or no-deal Brexit.
Dr Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, said at the summit earlier this week: “We are absolutely firmly committed to the UK, it’s our home.
“But a hard Brexit will cost Jaguar Land Rover more than £1.2 billion a year – it’s horrifying, wiping our profit, destroying investment in the autonomous, zero-emissions, we want to share.”
Job losses would be “counted into tens of thousands if we do not get the right Brexit deal”, he added.