LEVA-EU and SBS to share insights on standardisation at Eurobike

At Eurobike, LEVA-EU and SBS are joining forces to provide professional visitors with information about standards for electric (cargo) cycles, e-scooters and self-balancing vehicles.

The highlight will be the lunch meeting on Thursday, July 4, during which LEVA-EU and SBS experts will explain the current standardisation work and the link with European legislation in detail.

LEVA-EU is the European trade association for companies in the light electric vehicle (LEV) sector.

LEVA-EU’s field of work includes all LEVs that are in the scope of Regulation 168/2013 as well as those that are excluded from the Regulation.

This makes LEVA-EU the only professional association in the EU that exclusively concerns itself with LEVs, ranging from e-scooters and e(cargo)cycles to e-mopeds and e-motorcycles and microcars.

LEVA-EU currently represents around 70 companies that are active in all these segments. Component manufacturers and service suppliers are also part of LEVA-EU’s membership.

The professional organisation supports its members with information and guidance regarding LEV regulations and legislation. In addition, LEVA-EU works directly with the European institutions for better legislation and regulations for LEVs.

In this context, three LEVA-EU experts work directly in European/international technical committees (TC) on standards for LEVs.

LEVA-EU manager Annick Roetynck focuses mainly on CEN TC333 – cycles, where she is active in WG5-EPACs and in WG9-(e) carrier cycles.

Technical director Bram Rotthier is strongly focused on IEC TC125, where standards are written for e-ransporters. As secretary of this TC, he plays a particularly prominent role.

Finally, Eddie Eccleston has been active for years as an SBS expert in CEN TC333 cycles. He has a mandate from SBS to work specifically for and safeguard the interests of SMEs in the development of standards.

In order to strengthen this SME focus, LEVA-EU became a member of Small Business Standards last year.

SBS is a European non-profit association, co-financed by the European Union and EFTA Member States.

Its goal is to represent and defend small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) interests in the standardisation process at European and international levels.

Moreover, it aims at raising the awareness of SMEs about the benefits of standards and at encouraging them to get involved in the standardisation process. SBS was established to meet the European Union’s aspiration to make the standardisation system as inclusive, transparent and open as possible.

During Eurobike, LEVA-EU and SBS will organise an information meeting on standardisation.

With this meeting, LEVA-EU and SBS want to familiarise the participants with all aspects of standardisation.

They will learn how standards are developed and approved, how standards relate to legislation and how companies can be directly or indirectly involved in the standardisation work.

In addition, LEVA-EU and SBS will provide a comprehensive overview of the state of affairs regarding the standards for e-scooters and self-balancing vehicles, EPACs and e-cargocycles.

Last year, the EU issued a new Machinery Regulation and a new Battery Regulation. The meeting will explain the relationship between the standards and the Machinery Regulation.

In line with the new Battery Regulation, the European Commission has commissioned CENELEC to develop a whole series of new standards for batteries for light means of transport.

Finally, an amendment has been added to the EN15194 for EPACs with new requirements regarding batteries. All these points will also be explained in detail.

And of course, there will be ample time for questions. An SBS representative will be present at the meeting to answer any specific questions about SMEs in standardisation.

With the support of SBS, LEVA-EU is currently editing a very extensive briefing on standardisation. This will be made available free of charge at the meeting via a QR code. Participants can use this briefing afterwards as a reference to find out more about standardisation.

LEVA-EU is currently active in the field of the new Machinery Regulation, the Battery Regulation, the Critical Raw Materials Act and the Right to Repair Directive.

LEVA-EU is also permanently working for a specific European harmonised technical framework for LEVs to replace the current Machinery Directive/Regulation and Regulation 168/2013.

That specific framework now finally seems to be gradually coming into view. On behalf of the European Commission, a study is currently underway into accurate technical rules for LEVs.

The results of that study are expected in the autumn.

This meeting will take place on Thursday, July 4, from 11.45am to 2.15pm in Meeting Room Symmetric, Hall 8.

The meeting is free of charge for all interested professional visitors, to whom a lunch will be offered.

To ensure ample food and drinks, registration online is required.