EU initiative aims to improve safety and environmental protection
The EU Commission presented its plan on Thursday. According to the plan, older vehicles are to undergo annual technical inspections. This would apply to cars and vans over ten years old. One of the Commission’s key arguments is that older vehicles are more frequently affected by safety-related defects that could increase the risk of accidents. In addition, the aim is to tighten controls on emissions, particularly with regard to particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.
EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas described the proposal as a “major step forward in making our roads safer and our air cleaner”. In addition to more frequent test intervals, Brussels is planning to introduce new test procedures to detect manipulation of exhaust emission values more effectively.
Germany warns of growing bureaucracy
The proposal is currently being met with skepticism in Berlin. A spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Transport explained on Friday that they did not want to create “additional bureaucracy for German drivers”. The Federal Government’s fundamental aim is to keep bureaucratic burdens as low as possible.
At the same time, the ministry spokesperson emphasized that only a small proportion of road accidents are due to significant technical defects. This assessment indicates that Berlin does not yet consider the benefits of an annual MOT requirement for older vehicles to be sufficiently proven.
Federal government examines EU draft in detail
Despite the cautious stance, the Federal Ministry of Transport emphasizes that the EU Commission’s proposal is “very comprehensive” and is therefore being carefully examined. The aim is to assess whether the measures can actually make an effective contribution to increasing road safety. A final position has therefore not yet been determined.
Further negotiations necessary at EU level
The proposal from Brussels has not yet been adopted. First of all, both the European Parliament and the Council of the 27 Member States must discuss it. Amendments and adjustments are possible during this process. Germany will also present its position within this framework.
Conclusion: The EU Commission wants to tighten up the technical monitoring of vehicles in order to improve safety and environmental protection. Germany has been cautious so far and warns against unnecessary bureaucracy. It remains to be seen how the process will continue at EU level.
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