European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval
- ECWVTA is extending its scope.
- Certificate of Initial Fitness (COIF) and Bus Directive Approvals
- New requirements for first registration and licensing
- EC Whole vehicle type approval Formal Consultation - National approval schemes, techincal requirements and fees
- Further information
ECWVTA is extending its scope.
The current European legislation covering type-approval for M1 (passenger cars) is to be extended to include lorries (heavy goods vehicles), light goods vehicles, buses and coaches (those in public and private service) and trailers, both heavy and light. Previously exempt vehicles such as cement mixers and mobile cranes are also covered by this Directive.
The Directive entered into force last October and from that time member states have 18 months to transpose the legal requirements into Law. The rollout of the Directive will be phased over a 7 year period to enable a smooth transition for industry (see ECWVTA brochure
for the detailed timetable).
Companies likely to be affected by the change range from the manufacturers of base vehicles i.e. chassis cabs, to importers and constructors of finished vehicles falling within the above categories, manufacturers of caravans and light duty trailers and those conducting mobility conversions.
For manufacturers for whom ECWVTA may not be suitable, i.e. those with low volume production runs or who specialise in “1 off” vehicles, inspections on an individual basis will be offered over a mixture of GVTS and Manufacturer’s sites.
The ECWVTA Implementation Project team is extremely busy ensuring VOSA, VCA and DVLA are ready and its customers are advised of the forthcoming changes. Activities include identifying the infrastructure and personnel that will need to be in place to deliver the services required by industry, updating the Inspection Manuals, ensuring that business processes are updated if necessary, attending key events such as the Eurobus exhibition, etc to help promote the new regime and its changes.
Certificate of Initial Fitness (COIF) and Bus Directive Approvals
Certification for public service vehicles has been in force since the 1930’s. All such vehicles (usually known as PSV’s) have been required to meet strict construction standards before being used commercially, and would have to notify VOSA of any changes to ensure continued compliance.
Under the revised Directive there will be no distinction between public service and privately owned buses and coaches. All buses and coaches will require a valid Certificate of Conformity (CoC) or Ministers Approval Certificate (MAC) before they can be registered for use on the road in the UK.
New requirements for first registration and licensing
Although the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has previously asked for evidence of approval, the Directive provides an opportunity for DVLA to withhold registration to ensure vehicles comply with the safety and environmental requirements of ECWVTA.
EC Whole vehicle type approval Formal Consultation - National approval schemes, techincal requirements and fees
Closing date: 22 August 2008
Summary: Consultation on the implementation of Directive 2007/46/EC on vehicle approval in the UK and the proposed implementation of national approval schemes covering all passenger and commercial vehicles, including vans, trucks, minibuses, buses, coaches, trailers and various specialist vehicles like motorhomes and breakdown vehicles.
Published date: 2 June 2008
Details of the consultation can be found at: www.dft.gov.uk/typeapprovalconsultation
Further information
See the Events Diary for more details on future activities. The Transport Office News Releases page will also keep you informed on any developments. Information is available on the ECWVTA brochure and also supplied on the Vehicle Certification Agency and Department for Transport
websites
The DfT’s web site also provides further information on the forthcoming legislation including:
- EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval - Introduction
- EU Directive 2007/46/EC (993 kb)
- Public consultation
- What's happening
- Summary of Key Issues for Stakeholders
- Definition of Vehicle Categories (1 Mb)
- Frequently asked questions
- Glossary of Terms
Visit the following web address to view the detail: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/sectionecwholevehicletype/
Page last updated: 05/06/2008