EC proposes overhaul of EU’s road safety, vehicle registration rules

The European Commission (EC) said on April 24 that it is proposing a comprehensive overhaul of the EU’s road safety and vehicle registration rules.

The update concerns three EU directives applicable to vehicle check-ups, vehicle registration and roadside checks of commercial vehicles.

“Current EU road safety and vehicle registration rules are outdated and no longer sufficient to keep up with the rapid progress in vehicle technology, the growing concern of pollution and the persistent road safety issues,” the EC said.

The EC said that the new rules will prioritise road safety and air quality, taking into account the growing presence of electric vehicles and adapting to emerging technologies such as advanced driver-assistance systems.

They will introduce periodic technical inspections for electric vehicles, new tests for electronic safety systems, and advanced emission testing methods to detect high-emitting vehicles.

The EC is proposing the introduction of annual inspections for cars and vans that are 10 years or older, which the Commission says are responsible for a disproportionate amount of harmful emissions.

“Citizens will be better protected against fraudulent odometer tampering. Periodic technical inspections will be made easier for those temporarily residing in another EU country,” the EC said.

The Commission is proposing the introduction of digital vehicle registration certificates as the new standard and to simplify cross-border data sharing by improving the electronic exchange of vehicle registration data between EU countries.

This will make it easier to recognise and verify certificates across borders, it said.

“These changes are expected to have a significant impact on road safety, preventing approximately 65 000 serious injuries and save around 7000 lives over the next 25 years,” the EC said.

The proposals will now undergo scrutiny by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.