Brussels, 30/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's committee on transport has toned down the European Commission's ambitions contained in the roadworthiness package. On Thursday 30 May, the report on periodical roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers (Werner Kuhn, EPP, Germany) were put to the vote, as were the report on roadworthiness testing for commercial vehicles (Olga Sehnalova, S&D, Czech Republic), and the report on documents for vehicle registration (Vilja Savisaar-Toomast, ALDE, Estonia).
MEPs did not advocate harmonisation of roadworthiness tests for cars, on the basis of an annual test after six years of age. They recommend instead that cars should be tested every two years after the fourth year of entry into circulation. MEPs also rejected the 160,000 kilometre “trigger” for annual roadworthiness tests. The Commission had acted along these lines, considering that older cars are more dangerous for road safety given the fact that they are more likely to be subject to technical failure.
MEPs also rejected a Commission proposal to make a roadworthiness test mandatory for motorcycles and for trailers under 2,000 kilogrammes (except caravans), leaving the decision up to member states. Wheeled tractors used for road haulage with a maximum design speed of more than 40 km/hr should also be tested but not those used for agricultural work, the committee added.
It was also envisaged that roadworthiness tests should only target commercial vehicles that have a higher risk profile. Finally, as the Commission had hoped, MEPs backed rules for cancelling registrations or suspending registration certificates of vehicles that are a threat to road safety. (MD/transl.jl)