The EU Commission has proposed a comprehensive overhaul of the EU’s road safety and vehicle registration rules as part of its commitment to safe and sustainable mobility.
One measure put forward is to simplify the process of taking your car with you when moving across borders to live in a different country.
At the moment, the paperwork is lengthy and complicated due to the absence of EU-wide laws on vehicle registration.
The proposals are still to be endorsed by the European Parliament and Council.
EU to bring in digital car registration certificates
The Commission wants to digitise key car-ownership documents to facilitate the process of taking vehicles across borders.
At the moment, residents of the EU register their cars in the country where they live. Rules vary between member states as there is no blanket EU law on vehicle registration.
That means if you choose to relocate to another EU country long term – as opposed to travelling there on holiday – you are required to re-register your vehicle.
As most documents are still paper-based, it can be a drawn-out process.
The Commission’s new proposal aims to simplify the procedure by issuing digital registration certificates and roadworthiness certificates, and linking national registers.
Member states will also have access to data like odometer readings, the total distance a vehicle has travelled since manufacture and a key figure to avoid mileage fraud when reselling.
“Today’s initiative marks a major step forward in making our roads safer, our air cleaner and making citizen’s life easier,” Apostolos Tzitzikostas, commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, said.
“By modernising our roadworthiness rules we are harnessing the latest technology, strengthening enforcement, and ensuring they keep pace with the evolving realities of mobility.”
Car owners can obtain roadworthiness certificates in different EU countries
Car owners living in EU countries are required to maintain their vehicles in ‘roadworthy’ condition and obtain certificates as proof.
These are already recognised throughout the bloc for circulation and re-registration purposes.
The Commission has recently introduced a new policy allowing drivers to undergo roadworthiness testing and receive certificates in EU member states outside their vehicle’s registration country.
These certificates will remain valid for six months, providing greater flexibility for those temporarily staying in another EU country.
This new option comes with the condition that the following roadworthiness test must occur in the vehicle‘s country of registration.
Individual member states can also choose to recognise tests performed in other EU countries for longer periods if they wish.
The Commission decided against implementing full EU-wide recognition of these certificates, citing the need for more standardised regulations and concerns about price differences between EU countries.
