EU Transport Ministers Reach General Agreement on Roadworthiness Package Amid Calls for Further Improvements
The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has welcomed the European Council’s adoption of a general approach on the roadworthiness package, describing it as a balanced step toward modernizing vehicle inspections across the EU. The package aims to align inspection protocols with technological developments, enhance road safety, promote cross-border cooperation, and drive digitalisation in road inspections. While the agreement represents significant progress, IRU emphasises that several key improvements are still necessary to ensure the package is fully effective, proportionate, and operationally feasible for the mobility and logistics sectors.
A Milestone for EU Roadworthiness Modernisation
Under the Danish Presidency, EU transport ministers have endorsed the Council’s general approach on the roadworthiness package, marking a pivotal milestone in the EU’s ongoing efforts to modernise vehicle inspection regulations. The updated rules are designed to integrate emerging technologies into periodic roadworthiness tests (PTIs) and technical roadside inspections (RSIs), streamline digital documentation, strengthen cross-border data exchange, and modernise the management of vehicle registration data and documents.
Raluca Marian, IRU EU Director, noted, “The Council’s general approach strikes a pragmatic balance between ambition and feasibility. It avoids unnecessary testing burdens for light commercial vehicles, scales back the list of new electronic safety items, and rightly keeps remote sensing voluntary.”
She added, “Cargo-securing checks will also remain limited to visual inspections, reflecting operational realities. However, several important elements are still missing and need to be addressed in the next phase.”
The agreement reflects broad support among Member States for modernisation and harmonisation of roadworthiness rules. At the same time, it acknowledges the need to balance safety objectives with operational practicality, administrative burden, and costs for both vehicle owners and authorities.
Key Areas Identified for Further Improvement
Despite the progress, IRU has highlighted several areas where further refinement is essential to achieve a modern, workable, and proportionate roadworthiness framework. These areas include periodic roadworthiness tests, technical roadside inspections, and vehicle registration documents and data.
1. Periodic Roadworthiness Tests (PTIs)
Periodic roadworthiness tests are a cornerstone of road safety enforcement in the EU. However, IRU notes that several challenges remain:
- Zero-emission light commercial vehicles: Currently, N1 zero-emission vehicles face outdated weight limits, being classified as vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. IRU argues that this threshold should be increased to 4.25 tonnes to prevent these vehicles from being subjected to heavier-vehicle PTI requirements, which are unnecessary and burdensome for electric and zero-emission fleets.
- Clarifying deficiency rectification procedures: The procedures for rectifying dangerous deficiencies require greater clarity and flexibility. This includes permitting follow-up inspections either in the Member State issuing the suspension or in the Member State of registration, ensuring operational continuity for commercial operators.
- Certificate validity after suspension: After a temporary suspension due to serious deficiencies, PTI certificates for heavy-duty and passenger vehicles should be issued with full 12-month validity, beginning from the date of the new certificate. This guarantees predictable compliance cycles for operators.
- Assessing battery performance in electric vehicles: A critical gap exists in EU-wide procedures for assessing the impact of low-performing batteries on road safety during PTIs. Given the growing adoption of electric vehicles, batteries play a pivotal role in vehicle performance, safety, and lifecycle durability, making this assessment a vital component of inspections.
2. Technical Roadside Inspections (RSIs)
Technical roadside inspections are a key tool in ensuring vehicle compliance and road safety. However, IRU highlights areas needing improvement:
- Shift from quantity-based to risk-based inspections: Current RSI targets remain largely quantity-based, potentially leading to inefficient enforcement and unnecessary operational disruptions. Adopting risk- or intelligence-led targeting would enhance safety outcomes while reducing administrative burdens.
- Time efficiency and operational feasibility: Roadside inspections continue to be time-consuming. IRU calls for terminal-based checks for passenger transport, common control documents, and investment in safe, well-equipped RSI areas along the TEN-T network. These measures would minimize operational downtime and improve the overall efficiency of inspections.
3. Vehicle Registration Documents and Data
Modernising vehicle registration data is crucial for harmonising compliance and enabling digital solutions across Member States:
- Strengthening harmonisation: The Council’s approach maintains only minimum standardisation as required by the directive. Without broader harmonisation, certificate formats and data categories may vary across Member States, creating administrative inefficiencies and potential confusion.
- Updating pre-directive vehicle records: For vehicles registered before the new vehicle registration directive applies, Member States may retain only existing data. Aligning older vehicle records with new data requirements is critical to avoid incomplete or inconsistent records.
- Ensuring digital platform interoperability: Proper assessment of MOVE-HUB’s compatibility with existing systems, such as the Internal Market Information System (IMI) and the European Register of Road Transport Undertakings (ERRU), is necessary. This ensures full interoperability, avoids duplication, and prevents fragmentation of EU digital platforms supporting transport compliance.
The IRU Perspective on a Balanced, Feasible Approach
IRU’s assessment highlights a pragmatic view: the Council’s general approach advances safety and digitalisation without imposing disproportionate burdens on operators. The decision to limit cargo-securing checks to visual inspections and to maintain remote sensing as voluntary reflects an understanding of real-world operational constraints. Similarly, scaling back new electronic safety items for light commercial vehicles prevents unnecessary costs and administrative complexity for operators.
At the same time, IRU stresses that achieving a fully modernised, harmonised, and operationally feasible roadworthiness framework requires addressing the remaining gaps. These include updated classifications for zero-emission vehicles, improved PTI procedures, risk-based RSI targeting, comprehensive registration data harmonisation, and clear guidance on electric vehicle battery assessments.
Broader Implications for EU Mobility and Logistics
The roadworthiness package is central to EU efforts to modernise mobility, ensure cross-border road safety, and support the logistics sector. By integrating technological advancements, promoting digital documentation, and improving cross-border cooperation, the package has the potential to enhance the safety and efficiency of road transport across Europe.
A modernised framework benefits multiple stakeholders:
- Operators and fleet managers gain clarity and predictability in inspection procedures, reducing downtime and administrative burdens.
- Member States and enforcement authorities can leverage digital tools, data sharing, and risk-based targeting to enhance safety outcomes and operational efficiency.
- Passengers and the wider public benefit from safer roads and better-maintained vehicles.
IRU’s engagement with EU institutions, including the Parliament, reflects the importance of collaborative policymaking. Ensuring that regulations are technically feasible, proportionate, and harmonised is essential for maintaining a competitive and sustainable European transport sector.
The general approach adopted by the Council represents a foundation for further negotiations with the European Parliament. IRU looks forward to working closely with legislators to refine key aspects of the package, including PTI procedures, RSIs, and vehicle registration data harmonisation. The goal is to develop a roadworthiness framework that fully supports the EU’s mobility, logistics, and sustainability objectives while remaining practical for operators.
Raluca Marian concluded, “The Council has made an important step toward modernising roadworthiness rules. The next phase must ensure that the package is not only ambitious and forward-looking but also practical, proportionate, and fully workable for the real-world challenges of Europe’s mobility and logistics sector.”
The EU’s roadworthiness package represents a significant step toward modernising vehicle inspections, leveraging technology, and harmonising cross-border transport regulations. While the Council’s general approach demonstrates pragmatism and broad support, further refinements are needed to fully address operational realities, digital integration, and the needs of zero-emission and electric vehicles.
By addressing these remaining gaps, the EU can ensure that its roadworthiness framework not only enhances safety and digitalisation but also supports efficient, sustainable, and reliable mobility across Europe, benefiting operators, authorities, and citizens alike.
Source link: https://www.iru.org/news-resources