Brussels, 23/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - Before giving their verdict on the “technical checks” package, MEPs from the parliamentary transport committee (TRAN) quizzed vehicle experts during a hearing on Wednesday 23 January. The rapporteurs on the “technical checks” package clearly confirmed that harmonised and compulsory technical checks on a more regular basis for all vehicles was essential for road safety, even though the results that Commission is hoping for do not appear very ambitious.
Last July, the Commission proposed harmonising rules on technical checks. This will involve setting out minimum rules on technical checks (member states will be able to go even further), extending the scope of application to several kinds of vehicles, as well as making the controls stricter (on an annual basis for cars that are more than six years old) and identifying mileage fraud. The Commission's premise is based on the principle that 6% of car accidents are caused by technical faults (8% for motorcycles) and that improved checks would help eradicate this problem.
Laurianne Krid of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), however, picked the Commission's argument to pieces and claimed, “there is no sound evidence that increasing the frequency of checks (to 4 years, 2 years and then every year) will help". FIA figures suggest that only 1% of accidents are primarily caused by technical problems. Inspectors have warned against the red tape that this legislative review could cause. Many MEPs echoed this concern too rand also regretted the high costs that drivers would be subject to with having to undergo more frequent checks. The rapporteur, Vilja Savisaar-Toomast (ALDE, Estonia) was asked about the question of, “funding the inspections of technical checks to guarantee an appropriate level and obtain costs internalisation”. She herself and the two other rapporteurs appear, however, to support the package put on the table by the Commission. Olga Sehnalova (S&D, Czech Republic) concluded that, “the package is essential and it needs to be sufficient to be included in the global European strategy for reducing the number of fatal car accidents”. She insisted that national databases should be interoperable so that they help towards the harmonisation of checks. The third rapporteur, Werner Kuhn (EPP, Germany) underlined the need to ensure the independence of the authorities carrying out the checks and the importance of their qualifications in this respect. (MD/trans/fl)