The Department of Trade and Industry will now use the responses to the consultation to draw up a Statutory Instrument, The End of Life Vehicles Regulations 2003. It is expected that this will be put before Parliament before the summer recess.
It is thought that the next stage of consultation, covering the period beginning in 2007, will take place in the autumn 2003.
A DTI spokesman said: “There has been a positive response to the initial consultation on the End of Life Vehicle Directive. We will shortly be consulting on the arrangements that will come into force in 2007. We are on course to implement the first phase of the Directive later this year.”
In submitting its response to the DTI, the motor industry has indicated broad support for the government's “efforts to transpose the Directive in a manner that minimises the regulatory burden on industry”.
But the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which has played a key role in the government's industry ELV consultation group, had some concerns with the details of the consultation.
Duty
While agreeing that only Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) should be allowed to issue Certificates of Destruction on vehicles, the trade association was concerned that the permitting requirements for ATFs do not include a duty to monitor and report on the rates of recycling, re-use and recovery being achieved.
The SMMT stated: “The industry is now focused on delivering an 'own marque' scheme post 2006, where contracted and uncontracted ATFs will operate. To minimise possible disruption and ensure that these facilities compete on equal terms it is essential that there is a general obligation to monitor and report.”
Enforcement regimes outlined in the consultation document appeared to be complex and “potentially administratively burdensome”, it warned, and said that regulations should only apply from the date the Directive is transposed into UK law rather than July 1, 2003, as had been stated in the consultation.
The motor industry is also keen to clarify that the provision of free take-back will only be available to vehicles that are complete – containing the essential components including the engine, coachwork, gearbox, catalyst, wheels and electronic equipment. Vehicles that have been set on fire should not be regarded as complete “in any circumstances”, the SMMT said, and vehicles containing other forms of waste should not be accepted.
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