Filenews 29 November 2022
The Commission has decided to send letters of formal notice for failure to provide timely information on the transposition of European directives into national legislation in the field of road safety to Cyprus and to a further 12 Member States (in relation to roadside inspections) and to a further 9 Member States (in relation to periodic roadworthiness tests on motor vehicles).
Member States included in the so-called 'non-not-notion infringements' package have two months to complete the transposition of the legislation into their national legislation.
Otherwise, the Commission has the option to proceed to the next stage of the infringement procedure by sending a reasoned opinion explaining why it considers the Member State to be in breach of EU law. The infringement procedure can result in an action before the Court of Justice of the EU if the Member State fails to respond within a predetermined deadline.
The first letter of formal notice sent to Cyprus concerns Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2021/1716 updating technical details related to roadside checks, which broaden the categories of vehicles on which such checks can be carried out, such as high-speed tractors.
The aim of the directive is to improve road safety, which is reportedly a priority for the Commission as an estimated 19,900 people were killed on EU roads in 2021.
The Commission is sending a letter of formal notice to 13 Member States (which includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, and Poland) for failing to inform them of the transposition of the directives before the deadline of 27 September 2022.
The second letter of formal notice sent to Cyprus concerns Delegated Directive (EU) 2021/1717 updating technical details concerning periodic checks for motor vehicles and trailers, in particular by updating certain categories of vehicles (high-speed tractors, two- and three-wheel motor and quadricycles).
This Directive also adds the eCall system to the list of elements to be subject to periodic roadworthiness tests. eCall is a system that sends automated messages to emergency services after traffic collisions. Including the system in the controls is important, the Commission notes, to ensure the longevity and durability of eCall.
The Commission is sending a letter of formal notice to 10 Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Ireland, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and Finland) for failing to inform them of the transposition of the directives before the deadline of 27 September 2022.
The package also includes letters of formal notice to Belgium, Denmark, Croatia and Portugal in relation to the non-implementation of directives abolishing exemptions to bans on bulbs containing mercury.
