There is an EU agreement for a system like the Belgian Car-Pass, at least if it is up to the European transport ministers. With this initiative, Europe aims to tackle odometer fraud in second-hand vehicles across the European Union.

The mandatory registration system is primarily based on the operating principles of the Belgian Car-Pass, a legally required document that buyers of used cars must obtain from the seller.

Mandatory registration of mileage

Odometer fraud is a significant problem within the European Union, mainly when vehicles are sold across national borders. It is estimated that the economic damage in the EU amounts to between 5.6 and 9.6 billion euros per year.

The new system aims to protect consumers better, increase vehicle reliability, and tackle cross-border fraud more effectively. It will introduce mandatory mileage registration. Mileage must be recorded in a central database on various occasions, such as during technical inspections and maintenance or repair work carried out by authorized personnel.

Furthermore, manufacturers will be required to report the mileage of connected cars every three months, starting from the date of first registration. Collecting mileage data from various sources in this way will create a complete history of the vehicle. This will make it extremely difficult to roll back the odometer without it being noticed.

The agreement also forces member states to criminalize the manipulation of odometers, something Belgium already does.

Belgian Car-Pass as a blueprint

The new system agreed by the EU transport ministers is based on the fundamental operating principles of the Belgian Car-Pass, a vehicle ID system. “Europe has now officially opted for a system that has proven itself in Belgium for years,” said Federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés).

In fact, Belgium played a leading role in the agreement’s realization. During Belgium’s presidency of the European Council in the first half of 2024, the introduction of a European Car Pass-type scheme was high on the agenda.

The positive results of the Belgian system, which has significantly reduced the number of fraud cases, served as a blueprint and underlined its effectiveness.

Revision of dimensions and weight of zero-emissions trucks

Within the Council of the EU, however, the transport ministers of the 27 member states rejected a Commission proposal to switch to mandatory annual inspections after ten years, to improve road safety and strengthen the fight against vehicle pollution.

The ministers maintained the current system, i.e., an inspection every two years after ten years, so as not to “impose additional costs on vehicle owners.”

The package of measures approved by the ministers also included introducing new methods to better control emissions of nitrogen oxides and fine particles. A general approach was also adopted for revising the directive on dimensions and weights. This is an essential step toward more efficient, sustainable, and emission-free road transport.

Zero-emission trucks are often heavier than traditional diesel trucks due to their batteries or hydrogen tanks. To prevent this extra weight from compromising load capacity, the agreement proposes that these trucks are allowed an additional weight allowance of 4 tons – previously it was 2 tons.

This ensures that they can carry as much cargo as their diesel counterparts, which is crucial for their economic viability.

All the proposals must now be submitted to the European Parliament. Once it has taken an official position, the institutions can meet to finalize the legislative text.