Brussels, 21/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - Large cylinder motorbikes will be subject to technical inspections (similarly to that for cars) as from 2022. Scooters and mopeds will still be exempt from this procedure.
On Tuesday 21 January, the parliamentary transport and tourism committee (TRAN) made this decision by approving the agreement reached in the trialogue on the legislative package focusing on technical and roadside inspections, as well as registration documents (the package's adoption is planned for the March plenary session of the EP). This package consists of three revised legislative drafts and is expected to harmonise European rules and improve security, even though the European Commission's initial goals have been somewhat reduced.
Members of the transport committee adopted the report by Werner Kuhn (EPP, Germany) on periodic technical inspections of vehicles and trailers. According to the compromise, heavy motorbikes would be subject to technical inspections as from 2022. Nonetheless, member states will be free to choose the frequency with which these inspections and methods take place. Less powerful two wheeler vehicles will not have to undergo compulsory technical inspections. The agreement rejected the Commission's proposal to harmonise the frequency with which vehicle technical inspections are carried out
By adopting the report by Olga Sehnalova (S&D, Czech Republic) on roadside controls of utility vehicles (less than 3.5 tonnes), the EP now intends that at least 5% of them are inspected by member states while respecting a proportionate approach based on risk in an effort to keep traffic disturbance to a minimum and to avoid superfluous administrative costs. As the rapporteur explained, “from 2018 at the latest, the member states will have to introduce a risk rating system which will enable those transport operators who keep their commercial transport fleet in a good roadworthy condition to be checked less often”.
The report by Vilja Savisaar-Toomast (ALDE, Estonia) on registration documents was also approved by MEPs. This text aims to simplify the re-registration of vehicles. It intends to introduce the automatic recognition of technical inspection certificates between member states by way of a shared electronic database. Suspending certificates will also be made easier and will no longer require re-registration once the suspension has been lifted. (MD/trans.fl)