It would appear ahead of schedule that negotiations with the European Parliament and the European Council on the Road Worthiness Test (RWT) Package, have been finalised.
The Lithuanian Presidency of The Council have announced that heavy motorcycles will be subject to periodic roadworthiness tests from 2022.
However giving breathing space to those motorcyclists in European Member States (11 – member states) who do not have mandatory RWT (MoT) for motorcycles and whose rider organisations who have been fighting hard against mandatory RWT, the compromise news is that those Member States may:
“Exclude these vehicles from testing if they have put in place alternative effective road safety measures, taking into account in particular road safety statistics of the 5 years.
If heavy motorcycles are included in the scope of periodic roadworthiness testing, specific testing methods, inspection areas and frequency are decided at the Member State level.”
Of course the devil is in the detail, for example what is meant by heavy motorcycles, what this means for low-performance and medium powered motorcycles and whether the compromise will be accepted by those riders and their organistions who will be affected by this compromise.
“Final Compromise”
With this “final compromise” text agreed the final vote is down to the elected body of MEPs at the European Parliament.
For the UK with our own RWT through our MoT it looks like there is no major change or shake up to our system of testing.
At Right To Ride EU in the cold darkness of this evening, having just learnt of this outcome, it looks like a compromise that can be lived with.
As we have said all along our view is simply that, different countries with different situations require a different solution and that this must always be a national decision based on the needs and requirements of each country and their citizens.
We will be off to study some of the finer details.
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Member States Back The Agreement Achieved By The Lithuanian Presidency On The Roadworthiness Package
18th December 2013
The Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER I) examined and endorsed the final compromise text, which was agreed by the Lithuanian Presidency and the European Parliament on the Roadworthiness legislative package, which consists of three legislative proposals aimed to upgrade regulatory requirements for inspection of in-use vehicles (periodic technical inspections and roadside inspections of commercial vehicles) and registration documents.
“The agreement establishes and upgrades minimum common standards for technical inspections of vehicles, roadside inspections of commercial vehicles, as well as facilitates mutual recognition of roadworthiness certificates across the EU. Therefore the Roadworthiness package is an important step towards increasing safety of the European road transport system,” – said the Minister of Transport of Lithuania Rimantas Sinkevičius.
The following core elements are stipulated by the legislative package, as agreed by the co-legislators:
Periodic Roadworthiness Tests – inclusion of L category vehicles
The heavy motorcycles will be subject to periodic roadworthiness tests from 2022. However, Member States may exclude these vehicles from testing if they have put in place alternative effective road safety measures, taking into account in particular road safety statistics of the 5 years.
If heavy motorcycles are included in the scope of periodic roadworthiness testing, specific testing methods, inspection areas and frequency are decided at the Member State level.
The proposal also contains the provision that in a case of a re-registration of a vehicle from other Member State, Member State have to recognize a valid roadworthiness certificate, issued by other Member State. This is an important step towards creating common harmonized rules facilitating movement of the EU citizens.
Technical Roadside Inspections – percentage
The EU-wide target for commercial vehicles to be inspected is set. For vehicles which fall into the scope of this package the total number of initial roadside inspections in the EU shall, in every calendar year, correspond to at least 5% of the total number of these vehicles that are registered in the Member States.
To ensure a reduction of burden for undertakings, provisions on risk rating system and risk profile of undertakings, are foreseen. These will enable undertakings of good repute in terms of good condition of vehicles to be stopped for roadside inspections less frequently. The package also contains initial steps to provide requirements for securing of cargo transportation.
Registration documents – validity of the certificate when ownership of the vehicle changes
Registration of vehicles has been simplified to allow suspension of vehicles to be used in road traffic without valid roadworthiness certificate. Such suspension will not involve any new registration procedure. Also, Member States in principle should recognize the validity of the roadworthiness certificate in the event that the ownership of the vehicle – which has a valid proof of periodic roadworthiness test – changes.
Background: The European Commission has presented on 13 July 2012 its Roadworthiness Package. The Roadworthiness package consists of: Proposal for a Regulation on periodic roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers and repealing Directive 2009/40/EC; Proposal for a Regulation on the technical roadside inspection of the roadworthiness of commercial vehicles circulating in the Union and repealing Directive 2000/30/EC; Proposal for a Directive amending Council Directive 1999/37/EC on the registration documents for vehicle.
Original Source – Lithuanian Presidency of The Council Of The European Union 2013 – Click Here
