Could EU regulations due over the next decade increase car prices by up to €5,000 per unit, above normal price increases? Some of the world's top carmakers think so, according to a report in Automotive News.

The detail comes from a leaked planning document from ACEA, the association of European automakers, reporting on a delegation to the EU by the carmakers.

Volkswagen CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder, the incoming ACEA president, led the delegation to Brussels on February 27. It included Renault CEO Louis Schweitzer Fiat group CEO Giuseppe Morchio, Ford Motor Co. President Nick Scheele, CEO Leif Johansson of truckmaker AB Volvo and Ivan Hodac, ACEA secretary general.

They met with Commission President Romano Prodi, Vice President Loyola De Palacio (transport), and EU Commissioners Erkki Liikanen (enterprise) and Phillippe Busquin (research).

The auto delegation argued at the meeting that “dense, complex and often conflicting" EU regulations hamper the auto industry. They also said conflicts between the rules of the EU and various national governments create unnecessary administrative costs.

One manufacturer representative says complex regulations waste effort and resources. “We end up spending a lot of money that could go into productive r&d,” he said.

Manufacturers frequently don’t get enough lead-time to comply with regulations.

“We understand the need and the benefits [of regulations],” he said. “The question is: is there a more coherent way?”

Alfredo Fillipone, ACEA director of communications, characterized the meeting as "an interesting exchange of views.”

For the auto industry to better compete, Pischetsrieder called for: - an integrated assessment of new regulations and policies - a plan to improve the industry’s competitiveness - regular consultation - a high-level working group focusing on the auto industry