CITA RAG Europe Conference 2025
The CITA RAG Europe Conference 2025, held on March 12 and 13 at the Maison des Associations Internationales (M.A.I.) in Brussels, gathered CITA members from across Europe and abroad to discuss the future of vehicle compliance, road safety, and environmental protection.
CITA President Gerhard Müller opened the event with a strong speech highlighting the vital role of vehicle inspection in achieving global environmental and safety goals. He acknowledged Europe’s current crises, from geopolitical instability to climate change — and warned against the misguided belief that deregulation boosts competitiveness. Instead, Müller emphasized that strong safety and emissions standards are essential for sustainable development and economic stability.
He called for aligning initiatives like Vision Zero, the Green Deal, and the Clean Industrial Deal, stressing that safety, emissions reduction, and decarbonization must go together. Müller reaffirmed CITA’s support for advanced inspection processes to address risks from digitalization, automation, and new powertrains. He also urged the European Commission to promptly publish the long-overdue revised Roadworthiness Package to ensure inspections keep pace with the evolving automotive sector.
After the welcome speech by CITA RAG Europe Chairman Mr. Jann Fehlauer, the first day of the conference focused on the activities and updates within Topic Area A (R&D Vehicle Compliance) and Topic Area B (Optimizing Current Vehicle Compliance). Experts led sessions on vehicle data access, ADAS testing, intelligent PTI integration, and critical regulatory updates. The discussions highlighted how rapidly evolving vehicle technologies are both a source of opportunity and a challenge for inspection authorities, requiring new tools, new skills, and closer cooperation with policymakers and industry partners.
A notable highlight of the first evening was the gathering at The Music Village, where delegates came together for the presentation of the new CITA Annual Report 2024. The convivial atmosphere provided an ideal setting to reflect on CITA’s achievements over the past year, and to engage in informal conversations that further strengthened the bonds within the CITA family.
The second day of the conference opened with an update on Topic Area C (External Affairs), where participants gained insights into how CITA is working with EU Member States to influence the Council’s position on roadworthiness policy. Discussions also covered CITA’s cooperation with IAMTS and the presentation of their new White Paper on Software Updates, an increasingly relevant issue as software-defined vehicles become more prevalent.
The environmental focus of Topic Area D brought participants into discussions on the NOx JRC-CITA Field Study, offering key findings and recommendations. The session on On-Board Monitoring (OBM) under Euro 7 standards demonstrated how continuous monitoring systems will change the emissions testing landscape, requiring vehicle inspection bodies to adapt and develop new competences. Further updates on particulate number (PN) testing for petrol engines and the activities of the Taskforce Emissions underscored the ongoing importance of emissions testing in improving urban air quality.
Finally, Topic Area E (Quality, Training & Confidence) provided valuable insights into the latest tools for automatic brake data evaluation, conformity assessment of calibration laboratories, and quality assurance best practices. The discussions concluded with a review of the progress made and a forward-looking outlook for the upcoming year.
The conference closed with remarks from CITA President Gerhard Müller, who emphasized that independent and impartial vehicle inspections remain indispensable for achieving goals on road safety, environmental protection, and industrial competitiveness.
With enriching discussions, networking opportunities, and a clear vision for the future, the CITA RAG Europe Conference 2025 reaffirmed the essential role of the PTI sector in safeguarding roads and air — a commitment that remains firmly embedded in CITA’s mission moving forward.
