ETRMA: Industry needs ‘sustainable regulatory framework’

As the market approached the first anniversary of tyre labelling, at the start of October industry body ETRMA expressed the need for consistency and sustainability in regulation across Europe. “The European Tyre and Rubber Industry has a strong manufacturing presence in Europe and needs a sustainable regulatory framework, well-coordinated among different policy areas, to remain competitive despite this long economic crisis”, said Patrick Lepercq, President of ETRMA at the association’s board meeting today.

2013 was a year of transition for the European Tyre and Rubber Industry which is adjusting to a new and very ambitious regulatory framework through the implementation of “tyre specific” regulations and the institutional debate over new and more restrictive vehicle legislation. At the same time the industry faces increased global competition and the aftershocks of the economic crisis in Europe.

The Board confirmed its commitment to play its role for a long term political vision in Europe for the whole automotive sector through the work of CARS 2020, with the objective of overcoming current obstacles and supporting the industry to remain the most innovative and competitive in the world. In the context of this work, tyre manufacturers and national associations alike welcomed the newly-established Polish Tyre Association (PTIA), who will join ETRMA in this common effort.

ETRMA’s members also underlined the importance of the active role adopted by ETRMA to support the members towards the implementation of existing legislation which is also involving the rubber industry supply chain, such as REACH. Scientific debates and regulatory actions born around specific substances at an unprecedented pace, have seen ETRMA coordinating the rubber sector contribution toward the growth of a common awareness of all stakeholders around both the challenges and opportunities in product innovation, as well as the importance of certainty of laws enforceability.

The board agreed that sustainability of the industry and of the regulatory framework around it, has been and will remain one of the key objectives of ETRMA. In this context, fair and unrestricted access to raw materials is essential to secure a level playing field for the European industry. For this reason, the ETRMA board welcomed the work done in the context of the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials. Additionally, the board confirmed that an effective authorities’ surveillance of the respect of the complex regulatory framework, remains an essential element for the competitiveness. Furthermore, it was noted that the objective of a more efficient exploitation of existing resources could be reached by establishing EU harmonised end-of-waste criteria for casings suitable for retreading and for ELT derived materials.