LEVA-EU calls on LEV sector to have their say on legislation in European Commission workshop

LEVA-EU is calling on the LEV sector to have their say on LEV legislation in an upcoming European Commission workshop.

Last year in March, transport consultancy TRL presented its study on legislation for light, electric vehicles (LEVs) carried out at the request of the European Commission. TRL concluded that separate technical legislation for LEVs was the best way forward, said LEVA-EU, but the commission has failed to follow up on the TRL research.

On 14th September 2022, the European Commission will finally hold a workshop on the technical requirements on road safety of Personal Mobility Devices (PMD). The term PMD stems from the TRL research and covers all electric cycles, including cargo cycles and speed pedelecs, e-scooters, self-balancing vehicles, electric skateboards, etc.

According to LEVA-EU, the programme of the workshop does not indicate any further plans on behalf of the commission for legal improvements for LEVs. “The workshop is almost exclusively dedicated to e-scooters and to national legislation for e-scooters,” it said. “There is no mention in the programme of any plans/planning for the review of the legislation for all LEVS as recommended by TRL.”

LEVA-EU said it is ‘extremely concerned’ that this workshop will not be a starting point for the fundamental legal reforms that the sector has been waiting for so long. That is why the trade association is calling upon the LEV sector to use this workshop to ‘protest loudly’ against the commission’s approach so far.

“The workshop is a one-off opportunity to make it clear to the European Commission that current legislation is not adapted to LEVs and therefore considerably hinders market development,” the association said.

LEVA-EU is appealing through its website, e-newsletter, social media, direct mails and the press, to all companies, manufacturers, importers, distributors, as well as user groups involved, to testify that PMDs are currently ‘severely hampered by a lack of proper legislation’ and to ‘demand harmonised and accurate European legislation’ for these vehicles.

The workshop takes place on Wednesday 14th September from 9.30 till 13.00 and participation is possible
either live in Brussels or online. Participants need to register in advance and registration will end on 8th
September 2022, 12:00 CEST.

On Friday 9th September, LEVA-EU is organising two online information sessions for members aimed at providing them with further background information on the workshop and on the need for a fundamental change of LEV legislation.

Registration for the workshop can be found here: https://bit.ly/3RsKVVQ.

Rebecca Morley