European Automobile Industry: progress in the structural adjustment of the industry. Report

In adopting the report by Mr Alan John DONNELLY (PSE, UK) on the European automobile industry Parliament stressed the link between competitiveness, productivity and employment. It called on the Commission to: 1) develop a specific strategy for the European automobile industry, in particular by: - giving the task force on the car of tomorrow a strategic function enabling it to tackle issues of industrial competitiveness as well as environmental technologies and ensuring that it fully explores emission control technologies; - establishing a high level panel made up of representatives of the automobile and component industries, trades unions and user groups which could advise the Commission on overall strategy for the automobile sector and assist in the upcoming review of the implementation of the block exemption on car distribution and servicing agreements; - proposing a clear and comprehensive political framework in order to foster the market-spread of clean cars. 2) encourage efforts to harmonise vehicle safety and environmental standards at levels consistent with Article 100a of the EC Treaty; 3) encourage investment and strong competition throughout international automobile markets: - by continuing to apply the June 1995 agreement on automobiles with Japan; - by improving market access for third countries (in particular South-East Asia, Latin America and South Korea); - by supporting the modernisation and restructuring of industries in the countries of Eastern Europe. 4) support investment in education and training within the automobile and components industries and to make use of the Adapt, Socrates and Leonardo programmes. Parliament also called for the establishment of measures to monitor intra-Community relocations. Parliament considered that priority should be given to the following research areas: emissions and fuel consumption; motor electronics; improvements to safety, including for vehicle occupants, pedestrians and cyclists; electric vehicles; light-weight structures and materials; production techniques and recycling of old vehicles. Lastly, Parliament pointed to the urgent need for a major public information campaign to warn parents of the dangers of using child-restraint systems in the front seats of cars equipped with passenger side airbags. �