The European Commission has said in a statement that key measures to strengthen road safety and save lives have been put at risk by an agreement by transport ministers meeting held in Brussels.

“Vehicle checks are fundamental to road safety. More than 5 people die on Europe’s roads every day in accidents linked to technical failure. EU transport ministers today agreed on a text which would water down key elements of Commission proposals for new rules to toughen up the current testing regime and widen its scope.

“The agreement by ministers would substantially weaken the proposed new rules, by (a) removing motorcycles and other two-wheelers, the most vulnerable group of road users from the scope of mandatory regular testing; (b) removing proposals for increased frequency of technical checks for older vehicles – the highest risk vehicles on the road; (c) weakening proposed measures to reduce mileage manipulation.”

The EC statement continued, “Ministers have backed measures with regard to two things: strengthened cross-border mutual recognition and higher quality and harmonisation of testing, with minimum requirements on training, on equipment, on assessing deficiencies, on technical vehicle information and on supervision of testing.

“Technical defects contribute heavily to accidents. They are responsible for 6% of all car accidents, translating into 2,000 fatalities and many more injuries yearly. 8% of all motorcycle accidents are linked to technical defects.

“Moreover, many technical defects with serious implications for safety (such as ABS and electronic stability control) are not even checked under current rules. Existing EU rules setting minimum standards for vehicle checks date back to 1977, with only minor updates. Cars, driver behaviour and technology have developed a lot since then.”

Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for transport, said, “If you’re driving a car which is not fit to be on the road, you’re a danger to yourself and to everyone else in your car – your family, your friends, your business colleagues. What’s more, you’re a danger to all the other road users around you.

“It’s not complicated: we don’t want these potentially lethal cars on our roads. The agreement by Member States is a step in the wrong direction for road safety. It removes some of the highest risk categories of users and vehicles on the road – motorbikes and older cars – from tougher mandatory vehicle checks. This is short-term thinking on the part of Member States. Safety is the first priority of EU transport policy. We cannot afford to compromise on safety and we look to the European Parliament to reinforce vehicle checks for the highest risk categories of vehicle on the road, and to save lives.”

The proposal will now be considered in first reading by the European Parliament. The European Parliament has the possibility when it considers the Commission’s proposals on roadworthiness testing to support the proposals leading to further negotiations with national Ministers at the second stage of the legislative procedure.

The roadworthiness test proposal is part of the “roadworthiness package,” adopted by the Commission on 13 July 2012. It aims to increase road safety by strengthening control standards, by harmonizing test items and methods including those for electronic safety components, minimum requirements for equipment and skills of personnel.

The Commission has proposed increased test frequency for old vehicles and inclusion of additional types of vehicles, such as powered two-wheelers.

The key elements of the Commission’s roadworthiness proposals include

Compulsory EU wide testing for scooters and motorbikes. Motorbike and scooter riders, particularly young riders, are the highest risk group of road users.

Increasing the frequency of periodic roadworthiness tests for old vehicles. Between 5 and 6 years, the number of serious accidents related to technical failure increases dramatically.

Increasing the frequency of tests for cars and vans with exceptionally high mileage. This will bring their tests in line with other high mileage vehicles such as taxis, ambulances, etc.

Improving the quality of vehicle tests by setting common minimum standards for deficiencies, equipment and inspectors.

Making electronic safety components subject to mandatory testing.

Clamping down on mileage fraud, with registered mileage readings.

In all cases, the proposals set common EU-wide minimum standards for vehicle checks, with Member States free to go further if appropriate.

Existing EU rules on vehicle checks date from 1977, they set minimum standards for vehicle checks and have only been marginally updated since.

In its statement the Transport Council said the it had adopted a general approach on new rules on periodic inspection of vehicles, the so-called roadworthiness tests. The key objective of the update is to improve road safety and environmental protection. The draft directive lays down minimum requirements, which leaves member states free to impose stricter rules.

“Compared to the current rules, the draft directive introduces new requirements designed to ensure high testing standards. These requirements concern in particular test equipment, skills and training of testing personnel and supervision of testing centres. The annexes with the technical testing details have also been updated. Moreover, the checks will be extended to fast tractors with a maximum speed over 40 km/h.

“It will become easier to detect mileage counter tampering, as inspectors will have access to the readings from the previous test. In addition, the new text provides for the mutual recognition of roadworthiness certificates when a vehicle is re-registered in another member state. More generally, administrative cooperation between member states will be enhanced, and the possibility for creating an electronic vehicle information platform will be explored,” the Council said.

The text agreed by the Council “does not retain the Commission’s proposal to extend the scope of periodic tests to scooters, motorcycles and light trailers, and to increase the minimum frequency of checks for older cars and light commercial vehicles from every two years to every year.”

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