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 note.
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 Parliament 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.
Ian Hudghton SNP MEP
(substitute member)
ian.hudghton@europarl.europa.eu
George Lyon Lib Dem MEP
(substitute member)
george.lyon@europarl.europa.eu
In West Midlands:
Malcolm Harbour Con MEP
(chairman of committee)
malcolm.harbour@europarl.europa.eu
In East Midlands:
Emma McClarkin Con MEP
(substitute member)
emma.mcclarkin@europarl.europa.eu
In London:
Claude Moraes Labour MEP
(substitute member)
claude.moraes@europarl.europa.eu
In South West:
Ashley Fox Con MEP
(substitute member)
Trevor Colman UKIP MEP
trevor.colman@europarl.europa.eu
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,
Thank you for any of the letters you may have written in the past. Please remember the battle is not over.