Kick-off meeting for new bilateral sub-working group on product safety in the automotive industry

During the annual meeting of the Sino-German Working Group on Product Safety in June 2014, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) agreed to answer to recent challenges in the trade of automotive products by setting up a sub-working group on product safety in the automotive industry.

On 19 September 2014, the kick-off meeting of the new sub-working group was opened in Beijing by Director General Dr. Sven Halldorn (BMWi, Industrial Policy) and Director General Shan Wei (AQSIQ, Supervision of Inspection). The meeting served to agree on the basic structural and operational setup of the sub-working group as well as to define first focus topics.

The main objective of the sub-working group is to provide a platform for continuous dialogue regarding product safety in the automotive industry. Both sides stressed the importance of a close incorporation of perspectives and expertise from automotive producers and suppliers into the dialogue, as already practiced successfully in the Product Safety Working Group.

The participants agreed to exchange information about recall processes, about border controls in im- and export, as well as about safety requirements and certification procedures for technical product innovations. Other safety related measures, certification procedures and the interpretation of safety relevant product requirements and rules will also be included in the deliberations of the sub-working group.

In addition to the informational exchange, symposia and trainings shall be organized and mutual visits of technical experts shall further deepen the technical harmonization between China and Germany.

Concluding, the Director Generals of both sides agreed to immediately implement the topics and activities. First results shall be discussed at the 2015 annual meeting of the Product Safety Working Group.