The SMMT Public Policy and Vehicle Legislation (PPVL) Department consists of five teams:
- Economics Team
- Policy Team
- Environment Team
- Technical Team
- Technology & Innovation Team
The Department deals with a diverse range of issues from vehicle emissions standards, climate change, road safety, automotive legislation, standards and regulations to motoring taxation, sector skills and consumer affairs. The Department also works closely with other specialist departments in the SMMT.
These teams in turn inform members of the latest developments in automotive policy, taxation, vehicle legislation, environmental issues and the economy. The department also represents the interests of the industry to the UK Government particularly by forging close links with Ministers and civil servants, especially in HM Treasury, the Department for Transport (DfT), Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and by meeting with European decision makers and other key stakeholders in the public policy and industry arenas.
A large number of regulations that affect the automotive industry have been formulated at the European level. The Department offers SMMT members access to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and UK representatives of the European Council of Ministers through direct lobbying on key issues in Brussels and working with our European sister associations.
Members are encouraged, regardless of which trade section they belong, to be involved in the PPVL Departments specialist Committees, Working Groups, as a means to input and effect change in the various areas of automotive interest. Also a large number of Interest Groups, offer members the option to contribute without attending meetings.
For further products and services offered by this Department to SMMT members, please request a copy of the PPVL Brochure.
Policy and Economic Teams
The Policy and Economic Teams engage with decision makers at UK and EU level and represent the industry in Westminster, Whitehall and Brussels. On behalf of SMMT members, the Policy and Economic Teams are responsible for developing contacts with ministers, Members of Parliament and officials with an interest in the automotive industry in Whitehall and Brussels. Regular events are organized at the main party conferences and for the All-Party Parliamentary Motor Group. Briefings on key issues are prepared for parliamentarians and meetings with leading officials organized across the main government departments. Policy and economic activities fall into six main areas:
- Policy development and advocacy.
- Managing government relations.
- Strategic policy advice for smmt members.
- Help SMMT members take appropriate and informed business decisions.
- Work with members to forecast trends and gauge the impact of policy issues.
- Raise awareness of our sector, its successes and the challenges it faces, to parliament, government and all others with an interest in automobiles.
The Policy and Economic Team produces responses to consultation documents and makes regular submissions to government and European institutions on key industry issues.
The Policy and Economic Teams also work though a number of SMMT committees and Working Groups.
Policy Team
- Policy Co-ordination Committee (PCC)
Economics Team
- Tax Panel
- Economics Committee
- Car and CV Forecasting
The Vehicle Legislation and Environment Teams
Whether you are involved in design, manufacture, import, the distribution of vehicles or their components. Vehicle and environment specific legislation does has an impact on the automotive industry.
The Vehicle Legislation and Environment Team Managers lobby on a wide range of issues relevant to all sectors of the industry, e.g. environmental and vehicle related technical legislation particularly with regards to national and international regulations and standards (i.e. BSI, ISO, CEN, CENELEC). They attend meetings hosted by the UK government, e.g. BERR, DfT, DECC and DEFRA (UK issues), the EU in Brussels, the UNECE in Geneva (European and international issues) and directly with and through the international trade associations such as ACEA, OICA, CLEPA, CLCCR.
The Environmental Team assists and informs on a number of environmental issues surrounding e.g. sustainability, emissions, noise, fuels, labeling, packaging and ELV etc.
The Vehicle Legislation and Environment Teams provide members with access to an in-house team of experts, and members can contribute to the SMMT Committees and Working Groups (WG) and Interest Groups (IG), which:
- Debate the effects of proposals on business.
- Help shape the UK industry’s input to developing legislation.
Technology and Innovation Team
The Technology and Innovation Team focuses on four main technological areas including electric vehicles, innovation, connected and autonomous vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles. Managing four groups:
- Electric Vehicles Group
- Innovation and Engineering Group
- Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Forum
- Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Task Force
The Technology and Innovation team aims to:
- To provide relevant fora for members to receive updates and discuss key issues and developments within specific technology focus areas.
- To capture and disseminate information on funding opportunities and thought leadership on emerging technologies and disruptive innovation.
- To represent members’ views and concerns to government via relevant SMMT policy engagement channels.
- To build a broader coalition of stakeholders and broker wider dialogue, partnership and business opportunities for members.
- Enable member to create better informed business decisions and innovation strategy
