Overlap in auto environmental standards flagged

It wanted the ECC to direct the Ministry of Commerce to amend its notification regarding Clause 11 of SRO 61(1)/2026 dated January 15, 2026 by deleting some phrases.

It also asked for directing the Ministry of Commerce to amend Clause (xvi) of SRO 1895 dated September 30, 2025 and delete the text that was creating duplication of functions of the PSQCA.It further requested that the Ministry of Industries and Production be directed to withdraw its notification EDB/Auto/Import/WP-29/2025, dated September 30, 2025, regarding the adoption of environmental, safety and quality standards for imported vehicles.

It emphasised that the Ministry of Commerce should withdraw the decisions made in the meeting held on March 16, 2026 regarding the requirement for the PSQCA to obtain a no-objection certificate from the Engineering Development Board (EDB) for the registration of automobile pre-shipment inspection (PSI) agencies. The PSQCA, 8 (xxiii), is empowered to register the inspection agencies.

SRO 2443, dated December 16, 2025, also empowers the PSQCA for the same.

The Ministry of Science and Technology requested the ECC for approval of the proposals to avoid the overlapping of functions and encroachment on the mandate of the Ministry of S&T/PSQCA.During the ensuing discussion, it was informed by the Ministry of Industries that a committee had already been constituted under the minister of climate change to deliberate on the matter in detail, following which the agenda was deferred till the finalisation of recommendations of the committee.

The forum gave the directive that relevant ministries be requested for their views, before sending any proposal to the ECC.The ECC considered a summary submitted by the Ministry of Science and Technology titled "Review/ Revisit of ECC Decision in Case No 172/22/2025 Dated 24.09.2025 Regarding Automobile Standards & Regulations" and deferred the agenda.

The S&T ministry briefed the ECC that the PSQCA was a statutory body working under the administrative control of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T) and that 1996, the national standards body was mandated to formulate, adopt and notify standards (including automobile standards), undertake conformity assessment activities, register inspection bodies and monitor the quality of products.

The ministry said that, 36 of Schedule-I of the Rules of Business 1973 pertaining to the Science & Technology Division, sub-rule 12, 30, 31 & 32 specifically mentioned the formulation of standards as the sole mandate of the PSQCA.It pointed out that the Ministry of Industries had submitted the draft Motor Vehicles Industry Development Act (MVIDA) 2025 for review and comments.

The S&T ministry, in its earlier office memorandum dated July 18, 2025, inadvertently issued a no-objection to the Ministry of Industries regarding the MVIDA Act. However, the same was subsequently withdrawn vide a letter sent on April 16, 2026, being inconsistent with the prevailing legal framework and statutory mandates of the EDB/Ministry of Industries.

The S&T ministry informed the ECC that in pursuance of its legal mandate, the PSQCA had already undertaken comprehensive initiatives for the development and adoption of automobile standards, including those for buses, cars, tractors, etc. Recently, the ministry has obtained approval of the federal cabinet for the standards of public services vehicles (buses), formulated/adopted by the PSQCA minister.

The ministry added that while the draft Motor Vehicle Industries Development Act was pending for discussion, the Ministry of Commerce sent a summary to the ECC dated September 24, 2025 titled "Removal of Quantitative Restriction on Commercial Import of Used Vehicles", upon which the following proposals were approved by the ECC and subsequently ratified by the federal cabinet.