The United Nations ECE “1958 Agreement” establishes a common set of regulations for TYPE APPROVAL of vehicles. Once a car is type approved, all other participating countries must give RECIPROCAL RECOGNITION to that vehicle, without further requirements, for import and use in their country.
About 60 nations are participants in this agreement – but not the U.S. We have our own Standards and do not recognize ECE approvals.
Enforcement is so strict that U.S. officials confiscate these “illegal” vehicles and crush them. Even the dozens of foreign cars that already exceed the proposed 54.5 mpg standard are “illegal” under our current laws.
Our present go-it-alone approach hinders industry, innovation, reduction of fuel use and GHGs, and availability of foreign cars to Americans