To recount all the European Union (EU) legal developments in 2005 would merit a book, but taking a perspective from one particular industry (in this case the automotive industry) allows for a more manageable insight into recent regulatory and compliance issues deriving from Brussels.
Thirty-four percent of the world’s vehicles are currently manufactured in the EU, and the total market size of the industry amounts to several hundred billion euros each year. New laws in this area, therefore, carry great economic significance. Developments can be broadly categorised into two areas; those affecting competition and the free movement of goods and those relating to the environment and safety.
