What do we know about pedal assist E-bikes? A scoping review to inform future directions
Post-pandemic recovery offers European cities chance to boost shift to sustainability
SMEs key to the implementation of Commission proposal on sustainable products
LEV4Climate published in World Electric Vehicle Journal
Uni-Kassel Symposium: light mobility as a building block for the transport turnaround
Personal Mobility Devices Workshop – Commission: quo vadis?
LEVA-EU @ WOE & Nieuwsfiets B2B Festival
LEVA-EU calls on Commission to speed up review LEV-legislation
Stromer and LEVA-EU launch Speed Pedelec White Paper
Author Archives: Annick Roetynck
About Annick Roetynck
Annick is the Manager of LEVA-EU, with decades of experience in two-wheeled and light electric mobility.-
What do we know about pedal assist E-bikes? A scoping review to inform future directions
Comments Off on What do we know about pedal assist E-bikes? A scoping review to inform future directionsBicycles with integrated electric motors that require user effort, that is, pedal-assist e-bikes (PAEB), are increasing in popularity. There are several significant health benefits and benefits to our environment that can be attained by increasing use of PAEB. The purpose of this review was to synthesize the literature available on PAEB and to identify future directions for research, and policy and infrastructure development, that ensures an inclusive approach.
We conducted a scoping review of the literature that led to the identification of 107 articles that included PAEB. Studies were grouped according to themes: Energy and Emissions, Bike Sharing, Violations and Accidents, Physical Activity, Active Commuting, and Perceptions. Overall, it appears that the uptake of PAEB leads to a modal shift such that overall car use is decreased. PAEB use is associated with lower emissions compared to cars, but requires physical effort that classifies use of a PAEB as moderate intensity physical activity. Cost appears to be prohibitive, thus sharing or rental programs, and subsidies may be beneficial. Several additional barriers related to lack of infrastructure were also noted. Importantly, violations, injuries, and crashes appear to be similar between PAEB users and traditional bicycle users.
PAEB offer an opportunity to improve health and mobility in an eco-friendly manner compared to cars. Infrastructure and policies are needed to support this modal shift. There is an immediate need to clearly define PAEBs, and to ensure regulations are similar between PAEB and traditional bicycles. Future research is needed to better understand long-term behaviour change with regards to commuting, and to identify the effect of implementing better infrastructure and policies on PAEB uptake.
The full research report is here: https://bit.ly/3yLsrJp
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Post-pandemic recovery offers European cities chance to boost shift to sustainability
Comments Off on Post-pandemic recovery offers European cities chance to boost shift to sustainabilitySource: EEA – There is a unique opportunity for European cities to better align their the post-COVID-19 recoveries with efforts to make them more sustainable and tackle the impacts of climate change all at the same time. A key legacy of the pandemic is that our cities are a lot more flexible and open to change when it comes to planning and management. This can benefit the shift to sustainability, according to the latest study on urban sustainability, published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) earlier this month.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had wide-ranging impacts on cities and may influence the transition to more environmentally sustainable cities for years to come. Added to the pandemic are other pressing crises, including new, urgent European Union policies to tackle climate change and environmental degradation and the impacts of the war in Ukraine. These, along with the energy crisis, are contributing to accelerated action but also present new challenges to ensure ambitious urban sustainability targets stay on track, according to the EEA report ‘Urban sustainability in Europe — Post‑pandemic drivers of environmental transitions.’
The report is an update on a previous EEA report on urban sustainability and is linked to a series of related studies published in 2020-2021. It seeks to compare the experiences of cities immediately before the pandemic and as they emerge from it and to assess whether there are areas where the pandemic has already led to changes in key drivers of change as well as barriers, too. Research for the report included surveys and interviews involving 64 cities across Europe.
Among the key lessons outlined in the report, the study found that the pandemic highlighted social inequalities and the need that any shift to sustainability does not leave anyone behind. Cities will need to ensure new green policies do not further alienate certain social groups. The report highlights that transitions will need to be tailored to individual cities and their unique qualities and circumstances.
Trigger for action
According to survey results, the COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a significant trigger for environmental and sustainability efforts. The EEA report notes a shift since the pandemic, particularly around issues of sustainable mobility and green spaces. Related to this, public opinion and awareness of the environmental challenges faced also seems to be an important trigger as was the crucial role of political vision to drive sustainability action.
Air pollution, traffic, lack and loss of green space, severe storms and flooding, stormwater management and noise pollution were identified as the top six environmental challenges facing the cities in the survey and interviews. The lack and loss of green spaces was listed as the lowest challenge pre-pandemic.
Cities are also facing a wide range of socio-economic challenges. The top six most important challenges are apart from the prominence of the COVID-19 pandemic and other communicable diseases, lack of affordable housing, urban sprawl, road congestion, demographic change and social exclusion.
Photo by Susan Q Yin on Unsplash
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SMEs key to the implementation of Commission proposal on sustainable products
Comments Off on SMEs key to the implementation of Commission proposal on sustainable productsSBS* welcomes the Commission’s proposal for a new Regulation on eco-design requirements for sustainable products and the measures aimed at SMEs it includes. According to SBS, the implementation of the proposal will heavily rely on delegated acts and European standards. Financial support will be needed to ensure the involvement of SMEs in the development of these standards and regulations, and to guarantee SME participation in the Ecodesign Forum.
On 30 March, the Commission issued its proposal for a new eco-design Regulation which includes a series of measures Member States and the Commission are required to take to help SMEs with the implementation of the future Regulation. Moreover, it proposes the creation of an Ecodesign Forum to provide advice to the Commission on the ecodesign working plan, in setting priority product groups and ecodesign requirements.
Since SMEs represent most businesses in the EU, they will be key to the successful implementation of the proposal. Many SMEs traditionally operate at the local level in areas such as repairing, refurbishing and maintenance and will certainly benefit from business opportunities in these areas. Yet, they will also need to adapt to new requirements and cope with additional costs.
As stated in its position paper, SBS considers that the new Regulation and its delegated acts should provide a well-balanced approach that ensures implementation is workable, proportionate and shows evidence that the environmental benefits will exceed the costs. The Regulation should be accompanied by market instruments that support the uptake of sustainable products and by incentives facilitating the implementation of the Regulation among SMEs.
One of the main novelties of the proposal is the creation of a Digital Product Passport (DPP) to register, process and share product-related information amongst actors within the supply chain, authorities and consumers. The DPP will heavily rely on standards for its deployment. SBS stresses the need to involve SMEs in the development of these standards as well as in any pilot projects to develop DPP prototypes.
SBS supports the intention of the Commission to only apply the Regulation to products not covered by existing legislation or when legislation does not sufficiently address the sustainability of those products. It also agrees that ecodesign requirements should not have an impact on the functionality and safety of the products. For SMEs, it is indeed important to ensure the coherence between the future Regulation and its delegated acts and other pieces of legislation affecting a specific product.
Commenting on the proposal, SBS Secretary General Maitane Olabarria said: “SBS welcomes the measures foreseen to ease the implementation of the future Regulation by SMEs. Nevertheless, SBS believes the Regulation should also provide a legal basis to provide adequate resources, including financial resources, for SMEs and SME representatives to participate in the Ecodesign Forum and relevant standardisation work.”
SBS position can be consulted via the following link.
* Small Business Standards (SBS) is a European non-profit association (aisbl) co-financed by the European Union and EFTA Member States. Its goal is to represent and defend small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) interests in the standardisation process at European and international levels
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LEV4Climate published in World Electric Vehicle Journal
Comments Off on LEV4Climate published in World Electric Vehicle JournalWe are very pleased to announce that “Potentials of Light Electric Vehicles for Climate Protection by Substituting Passenger Car Trips” has been published in World Electric Vehicle Journal (WEVJ) as part of the Special Issue EVS35—International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition (Oslo, Norway). The study was commissioned by LEVA-EU and carried out by Simone Ehrenberger, Isheeka Dasgupta, Mascha Brost, Laura Gebhardt and Robert Seiffert.
The study is available online:
Abstract: https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/13/10/183
HTML Version: https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/13/10/183/htm
PDF Version: https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/13/10/183/pdf
Special Issue:
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/wevj/special_issues/EVS35_International_Electric_Vehicle_Symposium_ExhibitionThe WEVJ is the first peer-reviewed international scientific journal that covers all studies related to battery, hybrid, and fuel cell electric vehicles comprehensively.
It is the official journal of the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA) and its members the European Association for e-Mobility (AVERE), the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), and the Electric Vehicle Association of Asia Pacific (EVAAP).
Since its foundation in 2007, the journal has aimed to provide a publishing platform for the academic and industrial world to share the latest developments and knowledge about electric vehicles.
It publishes the best papers selected from EVS free of charge each year. Besides that, regular submissions are also welcome. The main topics of the journal include, but are not limited to the following:
- Vehicles & Transportation Systems
- Automated and Connected Car Concepts
- Electric and Hybrid Power Train and Its Components
- Batteries Developments
- Charging Infrastructure, incl. Wireless Power Transfer and Grid Interaction (V2G)
- Market Development Strategies
- Consumer Demand
- Public Policies and Strategies
- Energy & Environmental Analyses
- Mobility Concepts
Click here for WEVJS’s articles for online reading and download
The WEVJ is open access so no payment or registration is required.
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Uni-Kassel Symposium: light mobility as a building block for the transport turnaround
Comments Off on Uni-Kassel Symposium: light mobility as a building block for the transport turnaroundEvery car journey has a green alternative – this is the thesis of the Kassel research project “Mobility with a human touch – light mobility for environmental and climate protection, urban and quality of life”. As part of the research, the university organized a three-day symposium. LEVA-EU Manager Annick Roetynck was one of the participants.
The project at the Department of Transport Planning and Systems, headed by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Carsten Sommer, aims to define and establish the term “FeinMobilität” as an important component of the transport turnaround. Existing and upcoming vehicle concepts such as micromobiles, cycles, velomobiles, cabin scooters, minicars, … are analysed as an alternative to the conventional, ever larger and heavier motor vehicle.
The German term “Feinmobilität” was not yet wholeheartedly accepted during the symposium. It is clear however that the wide variety of light, electrical vehicles in and outside the L-category need their own name. Without that proper name, it is difficult to communicate about this particular group of vehicles.
As part of the project, a symposium with more than 60 experts took place from 26 to 28 September at the University in Kassel. The participants came from the production and development of fine mobility vehicles, from relevant industries and associations, research, traffic law, infrastructure planning and the communications industry.
The symposium consisted of discussion rounds on topics such as legislation, infrastructure, communication, …, in which experts made statements which were followed by further discussions. Among the presenters were Masha Brost, who presented the LEV4Climate study, commissioned by LEVA-EU, whilst Annick Roetynck explained EU legislation on light vehicles. The event concluded with a panel discussion on the opportunities and obstacles for fine mobility.
Below is an anthology of some striking statements/conclusions formulated in the symposium. In the discussions there was great unanimity among the participants, despite their very different backgrounds, about the fact that automobility is placing a heavy burden on our society, not only through emissions but also through the increasing size and ditto weight of vehicles. The urgent need for smaller, lighter vehicles ran like a thread through this three-day event.
- All mobility damages society, so it comes down to minimising that damage.
- It is important to calculate what mobility in its current form costs society.
- Motorists perceive speed limits as infringing on their freedom, but those limits secure the freedom of all other road users.
- Wherever a car parks, a child can no longer play.
- Measures to reduce emissions from motorised traffic alone are not enough and sometimes backfire. European legislation on CO2 emissions from motorised vehicles does not include measures to reduce vehicle weight. Electric cars are granted zero emissions. Consequently, you can easily produce heavier electric cars and be rewarded with zero emissions.
- In Germany, electric cars enjoy subsidies of more than €9,000. Nothing is available for microcars in L7 or other light vehicles, in L5 and L6. Thus, heavy mobility is subsidised on the basis of ecological arguments while light mobility is being ignored.
- The European Union prioritises reducing emissions from cars on the road in the belief that this is the fastest path to decarbonisation by 2030. Emission reduction through vehicle weight reduction is not on the agenda.
- Mobility policies should be based on both environmental and economic principles. Economic here means the pursuit of maximum prosperity using as few scarce resources as possible.
- Weight-regulating measures are essential to reduce the damage of today’s mobility to society.
- European type approval is so complex that large manufacturers are not interested in entering the European Union market with new L-category vehicles including minicars. They have no guarantee of large sales and therefore prefer going to the Asian market.
- Legislation becomes too complex by trying to fit all light vehicles into existing legislation.
- Light vehicles are extremely (strictly) regulated if you compare it to cars, for example.
- Parking policies should be adjusted with a view to discouraging large, heavy cars and encouraging small, light vehicles through pricing policies but also by providing fewer parking spaces.
- Light mobility does not exist in communication. Making light mobility visible is a first step in communication.
- Light vehicles are not visible in statistics.
- There is a research deficit. Science should raise its hand to indicate what needs to done to support light mobility.
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Personal Mobility Devices Workshop – Commission: quo vadis?
Comments Off on Personal Mobility Devices Workshop – Commission: quo vadis?The very well-attended European Commission workshop on Personal Mobility Devices (PMD) left us with mixed feelings. It is far from clear which direction the Commission wants to take further.
Attendance was high for the Commission’s workshop on Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs). There were more than 70 people in the Brussels’ meeting room and about 150 attendants online. Unfortunately, the meeting could not really pass as a workshop. The Netherlands, France, Germany and Spain were given extensive time to present their national rules, mainly for e-scooters. After that, there was hardly any time left for discussion.
Also, it is not clear what the purpose of presenting those national rules was. The workshop was organised by the Commission unit, which is responsible for Regulation 168/2013. E-scooters, along with electric bicycles and self-balancing vehicles, do not fall under Regulation 168/2013 but under the Machinery Directive. Consequently, one would expect that the Commission unit competent for the Machinery Directive would have at least attended the meeting. Quod non.
Mark Nicklas, who became Head of the unit responsible for Regulation 168/2013 not that long ago, stated that he himself was not so sure where the current legislation came from. He argued that Regulation 168/2013 had been introduced at a time when PMDs did not really exist yet. However, electric bicycles, e-scooters and self-balancing vehicles were already on the market in 2013. The Commission deliberately excluded them from Regulation 168/2013 because they simply did not know what to do with them. Moreover, they did not realise that by excluding them, they were referring the vehicles to the Machinery Directive. Even almost 10 years later, Mark Nicklas admitted that he was very surprised, when he took on his new position, to find that the vehicles were covered by the Machinery Directive.
Nevertheless, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain explained at length the specific national technical rules they had developed, because they believe there is no European framework. So, they simply ignore the Machinery Directive as the current European harmonized framework for PMDs excluded from Regulation 168/2013. At the same time, through the Council, these very same member states have overruled the Commission’s proposal to exclude PMDs from the new Machinery Regulation to create an opportunity for a specific harmonized technical framework for PMDs.
It is particularly unfortunate and incomprehensible that with this workshop, the Commission did not address the member states on their illogical and possibly illegal national rules. It is particularly unfortunate and incomprehensible that the Commission did not seize the opportunity of this workshop to start a real discussion on a European harmonized PMD framework. Nevertheless, the few companies that managed to get the floor, clearly expressed their despair at having to make a different vehicle for almost every member state. One of them was Nathan Debaets, from Taito a young Belgian company and member of LEVA-EU, which is enthusiastically developing a high-quality e-scooter. He stated: “It is nearly impossible for a start-up like ours to follow up on all those different requirements.”
The Light Electric Vehicle (LEV) sector has been plagued and hampered by legal obstructions for over a decade now. In these times of climate, energy and cost-of-living crises, it is no longer morally justifiable for the European Union to continue to shelve a European LEV-framework.
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LEVA-EU @ WOE & Nieuwsfiets B2B Festival
Comments Off on LEVA-EU @ WOE & Nieuwsfiets B2B FestivalLEVA-EU will be actively participating in World of E-Mobility (WOE), end of October, as well as in the first B2B Festival, organized by Nieuwsfiets in February 2023.
LEVA-EU was present at the first edition of WOE last year. On the very day that WOE opened its door, the Dutch authorities reintroduced COVID-measures. Even though that had an effect on visitors’ numbers, LEVA-EU came back with positive results from WOE. The networking with the exhibitors was such that LEVA-EU decided to be present at the second edition.
Another reason for participation is the fact that the International Cargo Bike Festival (ICBF) will be taking place within WOE. LEVA-EU will organize a half day information session at ICBF on electric cargocycle legislation and standardization. This session will be unmissable for all those who are active in the production and sale of electric cargocycles, because in the European standardisation institute, CEN, several European standards for electric cargocycles are currently being prepared.
On 12 and 13 February, LEVA-EU will be present in the Brabanthallen in ‘s Hertogenbosch (NL) for the first B2B Festival organized by Nieuwsfiets.nu. By means of an information stand, LEVA-EU will be informing visiting companies about the organization’s activities and services for LEV-companies. Nieuwsfiets and LEVA-EU have had a close relationship since LEVA-EU’s establishment. As a result, LEVA-EU is able to offer its members a special rate for participating in the Festival.
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LEVA-EU calls on Commission to speed up review LEV-legislation
Comments Off on LEVA-EU calls on Commission to speed up review LEV-legislationOn 14 September 2022, the European Commission will hold a workshop on the technical requirements and road safety for so-called Personal Mobility Devices (PMD). The term PMD covers all electric cycles, including cargocycles and speed pedelecs, e-scooters, self-balancing vehicles, electric skateboards, etc. In a letter to the Commission, LEVA-EU has expressed serious concerns about the workshop and about LEV-legislation in general.
In the letter to the Commission, LEVA-EU explained that Regulation 168/2013 as well as the Machinery Directive are very severely hampering the market development of LEVs. The trade association is confronted with these legal bottlenecks on a daily basis, through questions and issues reported by its members. Furthermore, the inadequacy of the current technical framework for LEVs was confirmed by the TRL-study carried out for the Commission and presented in March 2021.
In March 2021, TRL presented to the Commission, Member States and stakeholders, among which LEVA-EU, their “Study on market development and related road safety risks for L-category vehicles and new personal mobility devices“. In that study, TRL formulated a number of important findings and recommendations. Just to quote a few:
- The current 250 W limit applied to EPACs is too low for the heavier pedal assisted cargo bikes that are now growing in popularity.
- The L1e-A subcategory (electric cycles up to 25 km/h but more than 250W) has failed to attract manufacturers and consumers.
- The business model of many PMD manufacturers is incompatible with the type-approval system.
- On the question of traffic rules, there is support for the development of an EU harmonised approach.
TRL concluded that technical regulation outside the Machinery Directive and Regulation 168/2013, tailored to the needs of the PMD industry was the best way forward . The system could include a variety of assessment methods, ranging from self-certification to independent testing. TRL concluded further: “In our view this new system for the regulation and approval of PMDs would provide the flexibility necessary to support innovation in this rapidly evolving sector, while maintaining technical standards and road safety.”
In the letter to the Commission, LEVA-EU expressed its surprise and confusion about the content of the workshop. Even though the TRL study covered all so-called PMDs and also made recommendations for all of them, the workshop deals almost exclusively with e-scooters. Moreover, this workshop is not organised as a dialogue with the LEV-businesses on the many regulatory problems they are facing and how they might be solved. The workshop programme consists mainly of the presentation of national e-scooter legislation in 3 member states.
LEVA-EU fails to understand why the programme is only focused on vehicles that are not covered by Regulation 168/2013, but by the Machinery Directive. The organisation also doesn’t understand what the purpose is of explaining national legislation that, in their opinion, is at least in breach of Article 6.1 of the Machinery Directive and possibly also of Directive 2015/1535.
In a prompt reply, the Commission also stated surprise by LEVA-EU’s reaction to the workshop. The Commission explained that this workshop is focused on e-scooters “due to their recent substantial market size growth, increasing safety concerns and the diverging national measures regulating them across the EU.” However, the Commission reassured LEVA-EU that the workshop is only a first step and the discussions will not be limited to e-scooters: “The discussions will build on the findings of the TRL study on L-category vehicles and PMDs and are aimed as a preliminary step in the analysis of potential common rules on PMDs.” Furthermore, the Commission announced a dedicated impact assessment for 2023 that will include an extensive consultation of all actors of the PMD and L-category sectors.
LEVA-EU will continue to urge the Commission to speed up the legislative review for the benefit of LEVs and to hear the voice of the LEV-sector. In the past few weeks, LEVA-EU has called on the whole LEV-sector to participate in the workshop to have their say on how EPACs, Electric Cargo Cycles, Speed Pedelecs, E-Scooters, Self-Balancing Vehicles, … need their own accurate legal framework without any futher delay. In the framework of the energy and cost of living crises, as well as the Green Deal, the Fit for 55 Package, the New Urban Mobility Framework, the European Climate Pact and many more EU policies, it can no longer be justified that LEVs are neglected for so long and to this extent. We need solutions NOW.
Fur further details, please contact LEVA-EU Manager, Annick Roetynck, tel. +32 9 278 45 46, email annick@leva-eu.com.
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Stromer and LEVA-EU launch Speed Pedelec White Paper
Comments Off on Stromer and LEVA-EU launch Speed Pedelec White Paper76% of all car trips and 50% of kilometers driven by cars can be replaced by micro-mobility[1], according to research carried out by DLR at the request of LEVA-EU. “As much as 37% of the trips could be done by speed-pedelecs (e-bikes up to 45 km/h),” Tomi Viiala, Co-CEO of myStromer, explains.
This example – and many more – should convince governments of the huge potential of light electric mobility and encourage them to improve focus on it and use it more frequently. “That’s why, together with LEVA-EU, we’ve invested in a Speed Pedelec White Paper to use as a basis for discussion with local authorities, as well as with European authorities,” says Tomi Viiala. The White Paper provides extensive information about the use of S-pedelecs with numerous concrete cases and figures.
Examples of countries leading the way in sustainable solutions for commuter traffic are Belgium and Switzerland. Speed-pedelecs, are well integrated in both countries as an example of modern, sustainable traffic. Many commuters are already experiencing the benefits: with an S-pedelec, you can be sure of punctual departure and arrival times, along with a healthy(er) way of moving. Even more than that, S-pedelecs are also cost-saving, energy-efficient and, last but not least, more environmentally friendly than driving a car. The rules for using S-pedelecs in Belgium and Switzerland are therefore clear and offer riders a good alternative to cars. The White Paper is also intended to raise awareness of this issue among traffic planners and to convince fleet managers to offer pedelecs and S-pedelecs to their employees.
Together with LEVA-EU, myStromer, the market leader in the S-pedelec segment, wants to convince and motivate other European countries to review and clarify their traffic regulations for S-pedelecs. This implies changes in policy and regulations. And there is still work to be done.
Annick Roetynck, LEVA-EU Manager, adds: “LEVA-EU has commissioned research from DLR into the potential for LEVs to significantly reduce GHG emissions from the transport sector and thus to contribute to climate protection. The research shows that 37% of all car trips could theoretically be replaced with speed pedelecs and 19% of all car kilometres could be substituted by speed pedelec kilometres. Each trip for which an LEV replaces a car would avoid on average 88% of the GHG emissions from the substituted cars. These numbers clearly show that electrification of cars alone is not the solution. We also need to considerably reduce the weight of the vehicles we use for our transportation. The speed pedelec is therefore a very valuable, sustainable solution. Legal bottlenecks are very seriously hampering the technological and market development of speed pedelecs. The White Paper should convince the European, national and local authorities to prioritise those issues.”
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[1] Micromobility includes all electric vehicles subject to Regulation 168/2013 as well as all vehicles excluded from this Regulation. That variety of vehicles ranges from e-scooters to electric mini-cars.
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