Accepting US Car Standards Would Risk European Lives, Warn Cities & Civil Society

European cities and civil society groups have warned that accepting lower US car standards will see more dangerous vehicles flood into Europe.

EU officials must revisit the hastily agreed trade deal with the US, where the EU stated that it “intends to accept” lower US vehicle standards, say cities — including Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, and more than 75 civil society organisations. In a letter to European lawmakers, the signatories warn that aligning European standards with laxer rules in the US would undermine the EU’s global leadership in road safety, public health, climate policy and competitiveness.

Road Safety

The deal agreed over summer states that “with respect to automobiles, the United States and the European Union intend to accept and provide mutual recognition to each other’s standards.” Yet, EU vehicle safety regulations have supported a 36% reduction in European road deaths since 2010. By contrast, road deaths in the US over the same period increased 30%, with pedestrian deaths up 80% and cyclist deaths up 50%.

Europe currently has mandatory requirements for life-saving technologies, such as pedestrian protection, automated emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance. Some of the most basic pedestrian protection requirements which have long been in place in the EU, such as deformation zones in the front of vehicles to reduce crash severity and the prohibition of sharp edges have made cars like the Tesla Cybertruck illegal to sell in Europe.

“Europe built its reputation on pioneering robust vehicle standards.To accept lower US standards would undo decades of EU progress,” say the signatories. According to the letter “the consequences of such a move for European road safety would be profound.“

European air quality & health at risk

The EU is set to apply limits to harmful pollution from brake and tyre wear from 2026 onwards, while at the same time the US is moving to weaken air pollution rules for vehicles. Accepting weaker US standards would increase European exposure to pollutants linked to asthma, cancer and numerous cardiovascular and neurological conditions, warn the signatories.

Jobs threat in Europe

Major EU brands such as BMW, Mercedes and Stellantis already build large numbers of vehicles in US automotive plants to EU standards — particularly larger SUVs. However, if the lower US vehicle standards are accepted in Europe, these production lines could produce vehicles to these US lower standards, before shipping these vehicles to the EU. Overall, vehicle production would shift from the EU to the US. To accept lower US car standards would risk large-scale job losses in EU car plants and across Europe’s automotive supply chain.

Existing import loopholes must be closed

The European Commission is already working to tighten Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA), which is being abused to put thousands of oversized US pick-up trucks on EU streets without complying with core EU safety, air pollution and climate standards. To now accept lower US vehicle standards across the board would open the floodgates to US pick-ups and large SUVs.

The signatories urge EU lawmakers to oppose the intention to accept lower US vehicle standards in the EU–US Joint Statement and affirm publicly that EU vehicle standards are non-negotiable.

Read the full letter. News release from T&E.