Dear BA members colleagues,
Three updates:
(1) Anti-dumping reviews
For the bikes and parts case:
- The UK's Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has launched its "wider engagement" survey, which invites any companies and other stakeholders (including consumers) who are not registered in the formal review process (e.g. as importers or manufacturers) to provide input, which may also be used to inform the 'Economic Interest Test' - their evaluation of whether retaining, changing or terminating the current measures will overall benefit or harm the UK economy. You can participate in the TRA survey here and please do pass that link on to other stakeholders who may be interested.
- There have been two new entries to the public case file today, noting that the previously anonymous importer named in the 'sample' has waived anonymity (and is United Wheels). They've also been granted a time extension to provide full information.
- The BA remains strictly neutral on trade defence matters, as we have differing views within membership. But groupings of companies are now established to either support or oppose retaining the current measures. Any company supporting retaining the ADD measures is invited to contact Julian Scriven of Brompton. This grouping has recently engaged in lobbying as "Back British Bikes". Any company supporting terminating the measures is invited to contact Russell Merry of Fraser Group.
For the e-bikes case:
- The case is still awaiting a Ministerial decision, and we have no info as to when this may be coming.
(2) E-scooter developments
Any company awaiting the legalisation of privately owned e-scooters in the UK may want to note:
- There have been many reports (e.g. here) suggesting that recent comments from the Transport Minister indicate that e-scooter legalisation is imminent. I would urge a little more caution than the headlines suggest - her full comments as I read them do not make any firm commitment let alone set a timescale. We are also in close contact with officials and they are also not aware of any imminent plans.
- Meanwhile a long-awaited report by UK research group TRL for the European Commission about a future EU regulatory framework for micro-mobility devices (which they call PMDs) has been published. At first read it proposes a "universal" set of regulations for vehicles with laden weight less than 250 kg and max powered speed 25 km/h, with no motor power limit but limited acceleration. E-bikes would not be included in this, at least initially. The compliance scheme they propose for PMDs seems largely based around self-certification (or optional third party testing) but with mandatory third party testing aligned with EN50604 required for the battery pack. They also point out that even if/when there is an EU PMD framework, it will be a difficult process for PMDs to be included in national traffic laws in a consistent manner - more difficult than it was for EPACs, which are closely aligned with the previously existing bicycle category. Note also that this report is not confirmed EU policy, and it may be some years before any new framework is in place at EU level. But TRL also does lots of work for the UK Government, so it may be a good indicator of what will be recommended here (in due course) too.
- Finally for e-scooters, the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has recently published a comprehensive report on e-scooters with numerous technical recommendations, including a 20 km/h speed limit.
(3) OPSS survey data on e-bikes and e-scooters
Finally, a note that the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has released its "Product safety and consumers Wave 6" survey report. From page 72 onwards there are very interesting findings about e-bike and e-scooter ownership and consumer behaviour, especially in relation to fire risks and e.g. purchase of spare batteries. Note though that in many places the data for e-bikes is presented aggregated with the data for e-scooters and hoverboards, e-unicycles etc., which is less than helpful.