The Battle is not over....

[MadRat]

If you happen to live in one of the following areas, you may wish to contact the relevant MEP (below) with a version of the letter at the bottom of this email.

The IMCO vote, which is tabled to take place on 5th Dec, (as it was on 22nd Nov and 17th October and in June before that...) looks set to be taken before the MEPs have gathered the information that they may need to make an informed decision.
An Impact Assessment is currently being undertaken into aspects of the proposed Type Approval Regulation, regarding the speed at which new emission criteria should be introduced or whether Euro 6 levels of emission control should be introduced at all, as well as good old ABS for all.
Regulations aren't usually delayed this long and it's a testament to the lobbying so far that so much attention is being given this piece of legislation, but it would severely undermine the credibility of the EU legislative process (I know, I know..) if a committee were to make a decision that effects us all, and the motorcycle industry, without first considering all the available information.

It will be embarrassing if it has to be postponed yet again, but with weight of feeling, it may be. Questions have now been asked in EU Parlaiment about the quality of the original impact assessment that the Commission did as part of the original proposal, and a complaint to the Ombudsman now has to be answered by the Commission, so the case continues to build.

The vote is timetabled for Monday 5th December and the following MEPs are either members of the IMCO (internal market and consumer protection committee) or substitute members.

In Scotland:

Catherine Stihler Labour MEP
(full member and shadow raporteur) is currently on maternity leave, but her mail will be forwarded to the relevant person.
[email protected]

Ian Hudghton SNP MEP
(substitute member)
[email protected]

George Lyon Lib Dem MEP
(substitute member)
[email protected]

In West Midlands:

Malcolm Harbour Con MEP
(chairman of committee)
[email protected]

In East Midlands:

Emma McClarkin Con MEP
(substitute member)
[email protected]


In London:

Claude Moraes Labour MEP
(substitute member)
[email protected]

In South West:

Ashley Fox Con MEP
(substitute member)
[email protected]

Trevor Colman UKIP MEP
[email protected]


There are a lot of substitute members but remember, there are committee members from all over Europe but these ones are those that we can hold directly accountable, as they represent us in the UK. Please feel free to use any or all of the letter below if you would like to, inserting/deleting the relevant bits.

Dear

I note with some dismay that the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) upon which you sit as a member/substitute member, is planning to vote on 5th December on the amendments that have been under discussion regarding the proposed Regulation on Type Approval and Market Surveillance of 2 and 3 wheeled vehicles.
This appears to be in spite of the fact that there is an Impact Assessment ongoing, having only commenced on 23rd November, into certain aspects of the proposed regulation.
I urge you to consider the impact that this will have, not only on your ability to make an informed decision, but also on the credibility of the European legislative process, which will appear to be one that carries on regardless of the interests of those citizens most affected and any evidence that may appear to the contrary to that presented by the Commission.

Yours Sincerely



All the best, and thanks for any of the letters you may have written in the past. Please remember the battle is not over.

Paddy Tyson

[Chris and Catalina]

Sent

This forum should have the biggest no of viewers and replies.

Ride Safe

[nevsey]

Sent mine as well.

[Paul Neate]

Sent to all three of the Scottish MEPs listed.

Thanks MadRat for taking the time to draft the letter -- no excuse for any of us not to follow this up with our MEPs. Have a karma point for your troubles

[rlkat]

Done.

rob

[momorris1974]

Just got a reply.

Dear Mr Morris

Thank you for your email.

This proposal is still before the European Parliament in 1st reading with the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee in the lead. The Committee vote has been postponed to 5th December due to the negotiations that have been ongoing. It has been agreed that the bikers’ concerns will be heard in the European Parliament.

As you will see below the Conservative MEPs that help make up the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) in the European Parliament have made good ground on many areas of the legislation. Unfortunately there still seems to be major issues that we do not agree with the majority of the Committee on and will keep endeavouring to get things changed.

Items Where We Have Achieved Success (Including Anti-Tampering)

The ECR have managed to successfully knock out all amendments to the proposal which were entirely outside of the regulation – including:

· Anti-tampering legislation
· Mandatory reflective clothing
· Limits on Single Vehicle Approval (SVA)
· ATVs – these will now not be covered under this regulation, but under a completely new category in the Tractor Regulations to which the ECR Group are working towards in conjunction with the All Terrain Vehicle Industry European Association (ATVEA)

Mandatory Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)

It is already the case that motorcycle manufacturers are fitting ABS as well as traction control systems on high powered motorcycles, and this follows consumer demand. There is also strong political pressure to get the balance of interests right between riders, the industry, and safety, while not losing sight of improvements to motorcycle emissions.

The overall cost benefit of ABS is stacked in favour of mandatory ABS for higher powered motorcycles. Riders and the ECR have been arguing for an ABS off-switch for certain conditions such as driving on loose gravel.

However, not only is the majority of the Committee trying to bring the implementation date forwards by a year and extend cover to scooters (not mopeds), for which the ECR claim there is no proven case of overall added value; but it looks increasingly likely that the mandatory ABS will go through.

The ECR lead member on the Committee, Malcolm Harbour MEP, has managed to secure overall agreement to have the policy department conduct a specific impact assessment for this proposal which no one has ever costed before.

Mandatory On-Board Diagnostic Equipment (OBD)

The intention of OBD is not to affect the motorcycle's behaviour, but to provide the rider with information that there is a malfunction in the form of a warning light – otherwise known as OBD Stage I. We are completely against ‘limp-home’ functions that may activate unexpectedly while riding – known as OBD Stage II. If the malfunction is so serious that the motorcycle runs a real and imminent risk of being seriously damaged, compromising rider security in the process, a limp home function might be welcome. However, this is not what is currently being considered under OBD Stage II and both the ECR MEPs and the UK’s Department for Transport remain opposed to their inclusion in this regulation. Unfortunately at the moment the majority of the Committee want to impose OBD Stage II on all motorcycles apart from mopeds.

I trust that this clarifies the current situation.

Kind regards
Ashley Fox MEP

[MadRat]

Yep..... Standard Ashley Fox reply....

My Reply to that letter (Forwarded to MAG HQ).


Dear Ashley Fox.

Thank you for your reply.

However Riders do not want any of this legislation no matter what form it is in.

It is up to personal choice and freedom as to what Riders ride and wear.

I suggest strongly that you are misinformed as to Compulsory ABS.

If riders want this they will buy a bike with this feature on...


As our representative: Please vote against all this unnecessary and unwanted legislation in all its forms.

Thank you.

Yours Sincerely

[outrunner]

Sent to all Scottish MEP'S, you never know, they might actually pay attention.

Andy.

[davsato]

got this reply from ashley fox;

Thank you for your email.



This proposal is still before the European Parliament in 1st reading with the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee in the lead. The Committee vote has been postponed to 5th December due to the negotiations that have been ongoing. It has been agreed that the bikers’ concerns will be heard in the European Parliament.



As you will see below the Conservative MEPs that help make up the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) in the European Parliament have made good ground on many areas of the legislation. Unfortunately there still seems to be major issues that we do not agree with the majority of the Committee on and will keep endeavouring to get things changed.



Items Where We Have Achieved Success (Including Anti-Tampering)



The ECR have managed to successfully knock out all amendments to the proposal which were entirely outside of the regulation – including:



· Anti-tampering legislation

· Mandatory reflective clothing

· Limits on Single Vehicle Approval (SVA)

· ATVs – these will now not be covered under this regulation, but under a completely new category in the Tractor Regulations to which the ECR Group are working towards in conjunction with the All Terrain Vehicle Industry European Association (ATVEA)



Mandatory Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)



It is already the case that motorcycle manufacturers are fitting ABS as well as traction control systems on high powered motorcycles, and this follows consumer demand. There is also strong political pressure to get the balance of interests right between riders, the industry, and safety, while not losing sight of improvements to motorcycle emissions.



The overall cost benefit of ABS is stacked in favour of mandatory ABS for higher powered motorcycles. Riders and the ECR have been arguing for an ABS off-switch for certain conditions such as driving on loose gravel.



However, not only is the majority of the Committee trying to bring the implementation date forwards by a year and extend cover to scooters (not mopeds), for which the ECR claim there is no proven case of overall added value; but it looks increasingly likely that the mandatory ABS will go through.



The ECR lead member on the Committee, Malcolm Harbour MEP, has managed to secure overall agreement to have the policy department conduct a specific impact assessment for this proposal which no one has ever costed before.



Mandatory On-Board Diagnostic Equipment (OBD)



The intention of OBD is not to affect the motorcycle's behaviour, but to provide the rider with information that there is a malfunction in the form of a warning light – otherwise known as OBD Stage I. We are completely against ‘limp-home’ functions that may activate unexpectedly while riding – known as OBD Stage II. If the malfunction is so serious that the motorcycle runs a real and imminent risk of being seriously damaged, compromising rider security in the process, a limp home function might be welcome. However, this is not what is currently being considered under OBD Stage II and both the ECR MEPs and the UK’s Department for Transport remain opposed to their inclusion in this regulation. Unfortunately at the moment the majority of the Committee want to impose OBD Stage II on all motorcycles apart from mopeds.



I trust that this clarifies the current situation.



Kind regards

Ashley Fox MEP

[outrunner]

Today I got a reply to the Email I sent to Scottish Labour MEP Catherine Stihler.

Dear Andrew

Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding the regulation of two-or three-wheeled vehicles and quadricycles. As you may know the vote took place yesterday in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO), of which I am a Member, following lengthy negotiations.

You have raised concerns that the impact assessment which was requested by the Committee was not delivered before the vote took place in IMCO. Members of IMCO had available to them a cost benefit analysis by the UK Government, including the impact of emissions targets and braking system. Industry manufacturers had produced various reports on different scenarios relating to the implementation of ABS and CBS on different engine sizes and type approvals, my office met with Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) numerous times to discuss the concerns of motorcycle users. IMCO Members had a wide variety of stakeholder opinions to make an informed decision about which direction the regulation should take.

The impact assessment will be made available to all MEPs before the vote takes place in Strasbourg, allowing Members to table amendments at plenary if they believe the impact assessment provides cause to change to their position. I hope this is able to reassure you that we take our work very seriously in the IMCO committee and we always strive for a common-sense approach that is in everyone's interest.

Kind regards,
Catherine

Make of it what you will, but at least she replied, whether they will table amendments or not remains to be seen.:whistle:

Thanks to MadRat for the letter I copied and sent to all 3 of my MEPs, still waiting to hear from the other 2.


Andy.