All Govt policy/regulation articles – Page 4
-
FeatureACEA backs VDA on Ceta’s potential to unlock further exports
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) has backed comments by Germany’s automotive trade body earlier this week that the recently-signed EU-Canada free trade agreement could result in an increase in European vehicle exports to the North American country.The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (Ceta) was finally sorted out this week ...
-
FeatureSA government incentive review “nothing extraordinary”, says Naamsa
The announcement of a review of government incentives within the South African finance ministry’s recent mid-term budget statement is “nothing extraordinary”, according to the country’s automobile manufacturing body.A section of the budget statement released on Wednesday October 26th said: “Given increased pressures on the fiscus, these incentives, including direct transfers, ...
-
FeatureCeta deal is an opportunity but TTIP is the main prize, says VDA
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (Ceta) signed this week may create an opportunity for increased vehicle sales to Canada by European manufacturers. But given how small that market is compared to the US, it has also highlighted the need to close the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) as ...
-
FeatureRussian overcapacity forces some strategic changes in logistics
Overcapacity in the Russian automotive market looks set to be a long-term problem, the Russian Economic Development Ministry has admitted, and is starting to prompt changes to supply chain strategy.By 2020, the gap between production capacity across Russia’s automotive plants and sales volumes there will remain at 1m cars a ...
-
Feature'Brexit' may mean 'Brexit' – but then again, it may not
After the shock result in the UK's referendum on membership of the European Union back in June, many questions still remain about the implications for the country's relationship with the EU...Automotive Logistics prides itself on global coverage beyond our base here in Britain, but lately we’ve had reason to look ...
-
FeatureLong way still to go for Heathrow third runway
The UK government has approved a third runway at Heathrow but the decision has been met with both praise and hostility, suggesting that there are still a number of hurdles to clear before construction actually gets underway.Along with the handling of 75m passengers a year, the airport is also the ...
-
FeatureVW chief warns of ‘immediate end to South Africa’s motor industry’ if incentives are reduced and ownership targets are enforced
Motor manufacturers will leave South Africa if the government reduces the current incentive scheme while moving to penalise them for a lack of black equity holders and suppliers, the head of Volkswagen’s operation in the country has warned.Volkswagen South Africa MD Thomas Schäfer said recent discussions with the government revealed ...
-
FeatureFrance adopts digital consignment notes but gaps remain
France has become the 10th country in Europe to ratify the so-called e-CMR protocol, a legal standard for the use of electronic consignment notes for international transport. The move will be an important step in digitising logistics processes and documentation in the EU, particularly for moving finished vehicles by road ...
-
Feature
VDA warns UK production sector could be decimated; Nissan’s Ghosn changes tune after meeting with PM
The head of Germany’s automotive association, the VDA, has warned that the UK’s car production sector could be severely cut in the event of a ‘hard’ Brexit.Speaking to the Financial Times this week, Matthias Wissmann, who is also a former German transport minister, suggested carmakers operating in the UK may ...
-
FeatureDB Schenker pays out over allegations of bribery in Russia; Ford still under investigation
The German authorities have reached a settlement with logistics provider DB Schenker over allegations that Russian customs officials in the port of St Petersburg were bribed between 2010 and mid-2012 to speed up the passage of automotive parts to Ford’s plant in the area. However, the authorities have confirmed that ...
-
FeatureIndia’s road ministry irons out car carrier legislation
India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has finalised new rules on what constitutes a legal car carrier in the country.The new Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) 2016 legislate that, from April 1st 2017, car carriers will be limited in length to 18.75 metres while trailers – the majority of ...
-
FeatureFTA chief underlines importance of EU labour to UK logistics sector
European workers in the UK’s logistics industry are “vital” for the continued competitiveness of the sector post-Brexit, David Wells, chief executive of the UK’s Freight Transport Association (FTA), has warned.The FTA’s call to retain the EU nationals employed by the industry and allow the logistics sector to continue recruiting new ...
-
FeatureUK summit: Ford’s Draper lays out lobbying priorities for Brexit
Ford Europe’s purchasing boss Alan Draper has called on Britain to preserve existing trade arrangements across the EU and EU Customs Union, which includes Turkey, as the government heads towards key negotiations in leaving the union.“A zero-tariff regime to and from the UK is the preferred solution that I think ...
-
FeatureIndia makes big gains in competitiveness indices
The mood music coming out of prime minister Narendra Modi’s government with its ‘Make in India’ campaign seems to be borne out with real improvements on the ground.The latest World Economic Forum's rankings of country competitiveness see India as one of the big climbers, with a jump of 16 places ...
-
FeatureUK sets Brexit timetable as carmakers worry about market access
The UK government has laid out a timetable for exiting the European Union, which may come as early as the first quarter of 2019. It has also reaffirmed that it is willing to put control of immigration and regulation over retaining full access to the European single market – a ...
-
FeatureLast Mile: Another brick in the wall?
We should celebrate the breaking down of barriers in trade and business, not encourage their construction through stubborn rhetoric and isolationist policy.We may be re-entering an age of wall-building, whether towering in barbed-wire reality, or constructed by barricading political language. Often, such physical and rhetorical enclosures go together, cemented by ...
-
FeatureCalais blockade disrupts freight between UK and France
A protest by truck drivers and farmers in France has thrown freight movements through the port of Calais into disarray, leading to delays into and out of France and the UK.The protest, which began this week as a ‘go-slow’ drive on the A16, the main route into Calais and the ...
-
FeatureEurasian Economic Union slashes import duties on electric vehicles
The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), which comprises Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, has lowered duties on the import of electric vehicles (EVs) for a year, running from September 2nd this year to August 31st, 2017.Currently the duty on light electric passenger vehicles stands at 17% of their value but ...
-
Feature
Vietnam retains controversial import policy
Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has decided to keep in place a controversial policy allowing only the authorised dealers of foreign carmakers to import vehicles. The policy, which first became mandatory in June 2011 and was due to expire this month, applies to all vehicles with fewer than nine ...
-
FeatureEC hits truckmaker cartel with fines totalling nearly €3 billion
A group of four truck manufacturers has been hit with the highest ever cartel fine by the European Commission for fixing prices and consorting over the implementation timetable of new emissions standards.The EC said Volvo Trucks, Daimler, Paccar’s DAF and CNH Industrial’s Iveco had conspired with each other and with ...