Macau VT Industry Concerned Over Standard Proposal

A Chinese government proposal to adopt EU vertical-transportation (VT) standards worries some people in the elevator industry, who fear the standards would be unworkable in Macau, the Macau Daily Times reported in September. China’s Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) recently released a report compiled as part of proposed elevator and escalator legislation. In the report, DSSOPT suggested that EU standards should be adopted. The report was met with objections from VT industry members who fear that reliance on EU standards would impact Chinese manufacturers if their products are incompatible with the code. Chinese-made elevators are “prevalent” in Macau, the source said. Opponents noted that European and Chinese standard updates are not synchronized. As a possible solution, an “industry practitioner” suggested that Chinese standards “be adopted in parallel with foreign standards.” The DSSOPT responded that the government will consider all opinions obtained during public consultation.