Research on the "Cost of non-Europe" : basic findings; Volume 11: The EC 92 automobile sector

The objective of the work undertaken by Ludvigsen Associates Limited (LAL) under contract to the Commission of the European Communities is the identification and quantification of the economic benefits that will accrue to the EC automobile industry and to its customers through the removal of the fiscal, physical and technical internal barriers that now divide the Community's Member States. The project has the aim of 'assessing the specific costs imposed on the Community automotive industries as indeed on consumers as a result of the currently fragmented nature of the EC automobile market.' The sector studied is defined as including the design and manufacture of volume-produced passenger cars in the European Community, the sale of such EC-built cars abroad, and the sale within the Community of passenger cars from all sources. The principal focus of the work is on two phases of auto industry activity: design and engineering, and manufacturing and assembly. These were selected in consultation with the Commission as having the potential to make important contributions to the benefit of EC92, especially in the area of scale economies, and also because they are of continuing interest and value to the Community and the Commission.