There are detailed EU directives and regulations on automotive type approvals. They include
- Agriculture vehicles and their trailers
- Passenger vehicles and their trailers
- Commercial vehicles and their trailers
- Passengers cars and their trailers
- 2/3-wheel vehicles
- Motorcycles
- Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM)
EU states recognise EU type approvals granted by other authorities in the EU. The type approval process ensures that motor vehicles, trailers and their systems, components and separate technical units meet the necessary technical, safety and environmental standards prior to placing on the EU market. EU and EEA manufacturers are able to access the whole of the EU market by obtaining EU approval from any one of the national approval authorities. This ensures a level playing field for automotive products and services across the EU.
Eligibility is met by tests carried out by technical services and approved by a Member State approval authority. It is not permissible for a manufacturer to hold approvals for the same type of motor vehicle from two or more separate authorities at the same time.
The European Commission has stated that when the UK leaves the European Single Market, the UK type approval authority, the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) will no longer be recognised as an authorised EU type-approval authority and will not be able to fulfil any of the powers and obligations of an EU type-approval authority. Consequently, manufacturers who have obtained EU approvals from the VCA will need these approvals transferred to an EU-27 issued type-approval. These include products already in production to ensure continued compliance with EU law.
The Commission has published regulations setting out how manufacturers can transfer their UK issued type-approvals into an EU-27 issued type-approval. It is the only process available for the transfer of UK issued approvals into an EU-27 issued approval.
The European Commission has indicated that it is aware of the considerable administrative burden that the modification of the approval system will cause for manufacturers and the EU-27 Approval Authorities. Discretion will likely be provided for type-approval authorities in making their decision on whether to grant a new approval in respect of any previous UK approval.
The UK have indicated their willingness to engage constructively with their European counterparts post-Brexit including their continual participation in the UNECE World Forum for the harmonization of vehicle regulations, which underpins many of the EU regulatory standards.