CECE president drives emissions issue

The managing director of Caterpillar France and president of the Committee for European Construction Equipment (CECE) has called for urgent EU action on machine emissions regulation.

Eric Lepine told a European Parliament policy meeting attended by machinery business leaders and members of the European Commission that this key issue could not be ignored if industry was to remain competitive.

Speaking on the introduction of the EU draft regulation on diesel engine emissions limits, he said, “Our industry is on track and committed to delivering innovative machines that will match the new emission limits which will be the strictest in the world.

Lepine continued, “However, because of the very wide variety of different products in our industry, it will remain a complex challenge to adapt all our products in time.

“Therefore, we need a swift adoption of this Regulation, no later than Q1 2016, in order to give the industry adequate time to transition to these new emission limits. We also need the issue of niche products and replacement engines to be addressed.”

His concerns, directed to the European Commission - which has just started its five-year mandate, were shared by other industry leaders. They called for regulations to be mindful of potential effects on industry.

MEP Paul Rübig, who had opened the policy meeting, stressed the European Commission should back industry so that it “could unleash its full potential” in order to foster greater economic growth.

Jan van der Velden, senior manager systems at Vanderlande Industries and president of the European materials handling federation FEM, added a note of warning.

He said, “Industry’s competitiveness does not come from low wages and low production costs, but from our reliability, know-how and innovation. The EU regulatory framework must help preserve and develop these strengths rather than limit them.”

Vice president of Massey Ferguson, Richard Markwell, who is also president of the European agricultural machinery association (CEMA) believed that defending cross-border trade was particularly important with regard to creation of new EU regulations.

He said, “The European Machinery Industry exports a growing share of its production outside of Europe. Trade policy initiatives such as TTIP will be key to deliver jobs, innovation, and growth both at home and abroad.”