Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-02-13-Speech-2-300"
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"en.20010213.13.2-300"2
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"Mr President, this amendment to the directive is part of the process of tidying up the loose ends not covered by the Auto/Oil Programme. I cannot wait for the other directives coming along on small pleasure craft and the small spark ignition engine which will complete the story.
Motorcycles constitute a very small percentage of traffic volume. Advances in engine technology for cars and trucks coupled with a 6% rise in motorcycle mileage in the 1990s have meant that the proportion of pollution from bikes is increasing. I therefore welcome this proposal but with certain reservations.
My major concern is the short time between 2003 when the new standards will apply to new models and the date when that is extended to all new motorcycles. This will put tremendous pressure on the smaller European manufacturers, like Triumph and CCM in the United Kingdom. Although these modifications are technically feasible, small companies do not have the resources to do the work in only 12 months and the development costs would have to be recovered from a smaller volume of vehicles. This would put European manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage as compared with the big boys from the Far East. I am pleased, therefore, that the rapporteur has recognised this by extending this transition phase to two years.
I should also like to congratulate the rapporteur by leading by example by converting his own classic Harley Davidson motorcycle with a retro-fitted catalytic converter. It is not a case of saying one thing and doing another from that side of the House.
I have some reservations regarding on-board diagnostics and in-service testing. Regarding on-board diagnostics, a motorcycle is often the first vehicle that a young person buys with limited resources and therefore this will make the vehicle more expensive. Secondly, I am rather cynical about what the owner of the bike will do when that little green light comes on saying that the exhaust system is not performing to standard. I suspect he may be tempted just to take the bulb out. Maybe at this stage of the game we should keep these two balls in play and see how the game progresses towards second reading and possible conciliation.
Lastly, on the subject of fiscal measures. Whilst I support market solutions like tax incentives, these should be applied by Member States according to national criteria if they so wish. This proposal is to be made under Article 95, that is to say qualified majority voting, and despite the 28 vetoes given up by Tony Blair at Nice, the UK has not yet given up its right to determine its own taxes, and therefore this should not be within the scope of this directive. Subsidiarity is something that should be protected."@en1
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