SEMA COMMENTS ON MEXICAN INTENT TO IMPOSE UNNECESSARY STANDARDS ON IMPORTED WHEELS, RIMS

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 20, 2003)-SEMA, the Specialty 
Equipment Market Association, has filed comments with 
Mexican authorities over a proposed wheel standard which 
could effectively shut importers of specialty wheels and 
rims out of the NAFTA-partner marketplace.

In a letter commenting on the current draft of Mexican 
official standard PROY-NOM-150-SCFI-2002, Automobile-Rims 
for Automobile and Light Truck Tires-Safety Specifications 
and Test Methods, Sergio G. Nogueira, director of SEMA's 
operations in Mexico, commented that the standard is 
"unnecessary and would result in costly and burdensome 
requirement with little or no resulting benefits."

SEMA said that the Mexican government has failed to provide 
any scientific evidence of a need for a standard 
establishing minimum safety requirements for imported 
wheels. If the standard is adopted, SEMA says that wheel and 
rim manufacturers would have to test an unusually large 
number of samples before sale of a particular rim in Mexico 
would be approved. The proposed standard, SEMA said, likens 
imported new rims to second-hand or used rims. The used rims 
are required to pass sample tests in Mexico. The proposed 
standard for new rims is "inappropriate and will make the 
sales of new specialty wheels and rims in Mexico no longer 
economically feasible for most international rim 
manufacturers." Nogueira's statement said.

An equitable compromise, suggested SEMA, would be 1) Mexican 
adherence to recognized international standards and methods 
such as the widely accepted ISO protocol (International 
Standards Organization) endorsed by another Mexican 
authority, COFEMER, the Mexican Commission for Regulatory 
Improvement, and 2) Mexico's acceptance of international 
testing facilities' findings for wheels and rims brought 
into that country for sale.

SEMA worked successfully with a group of Mexican importers 
to deter a more rigorous proposed standard in 2002. "While 
the new proposal is an improvement over the previous version 
in some aspects, the regulation would still require unique, 
costly, and extensive testing of all wheels imported to 
Mexico," said Linda Spencer, SEMA director of international 
and government relations.

The association estimates the annual sales of specialty 
wheels and rims in Mexico to be US$18,000,000.
More information is available from Spencer at 
lindas@sema.org, or 202/783-4032.