CITA contributes to EP debate on the Roadworthiness Package
Yesterday, Wednesday 25 February, CITA actively participated in the high-level event entitled “Roadworthiness Package: Leveraging Technology and Innovation for Citizens”, held at the European Parliament in Brussels.
The event, organised by the S&D Group TRAN team together with the offices of MEP Johan Danielsson (S&D TRAN Coordinator) and MEP Sérgio Gonçalves (S&D TRAN Committee Member), brought together policymakers and key stakeholders to discuss how the revision of the EU Roadworthiness Package can harness digitalisation and innovation to deliver tangible benefits for citizens.
CITA was represented by its President, Gerhard Müller, who contributed to the second panel discussion.
Opening the debate, moderators MEP Johan Danielsson and MEP Sérgio Gonçalves stressed that EU legislation plays a crucial role in ensuring that technological progress in the automotive sector works for people — delivering safer roads, cleaner air and greater consumer confidence. Across two panels, representatives from BEUC, ETSC, T&E, the Flanders Environment Agency and CITA explored how innovation, improved data exchange and modernised inspection methods can strengthen road safety and environmental protection throughout the vehicle life-cycle.
The discussions addressed:
- Digitalisation of vehicle registration documents and improved cross-border data exchange
- Tackling odometer fraud
- Ensuring the safe deployment of automated and semi-automated vehicles
- Modernising PTI tests for electric vehicles
- The use of remote sensing technologies to reduce air pollution
- The link between technical inspections and accident prevention
During the second panel, President Gerhard Müller underlined the essential role of PTI in reducing accidents and improving air quality.
Responding to questions on what has been lacking in EU action so far, he emphasised that vehicle inspection is often politically underestimated: “Vehicle inspection is too often perceived as a burden for vehicle owners, while its societal benefits for road safety and environmental protection are overlooked“.
He welcomed the Commission’s proposal to harmonise and modernise requirements, noting that many Member States have already introduced higher standards than those currently set in the Directive — such as inspections for two-wheelers, annual inspections for older vehicles, or OBD data read-out via specific interfaces.
A key contribution from CITA concerned the study conducted on the link between technical inspections and accidents. Mr. Müller explained that the study was motivated by the need to move beyond emotional debates and provide objective evidence, particularly in light of discussions on PTI for motorcycles in several Member States: “We wanted to have more facts about the importance of PTI on road safety and thus support an objective discussion“. The findings confirm that vehicle safety is a crucial component of overall road safety. All vehicle categories — whether motorcycles (L), passenger cars (M1) or light commercial vehicles (N1) — are subject to wear and tear and potential tampering over time. As vehicle fleets age across Europe, effective inspection systems become even more important.
Mr. Müller stated that the Commission proposal addresses key issues and will make PTI more effective, thereby improving both road safety and air quality. When invited to suggest possible improvements to the proposal, the CITA President highlighted a critical issue: access to vehicle data for inspection purposes.
While welcoming the inclusion of battery testing and ADAS testing in the annexes, he stressed that the current wording — which allows inspections only “where made possible” and “where the necessary data is made available” — is insufficient. For a valid inspection of modern vehicles, this information must be provided by the OEM. It already exists and should be made available for inspection purposes. Ensuring mandatory access to safety-relevant data is essential for checking advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), electric vehicle battery health and other digital components that increasingly define modern vehicles.
The event demonstrated broad recognition among policymakers and stakeholders that the Roadworthiness Package is a crucial opportunity to adapt EU legislation to rapid technological change. CITA will continue to engage constructively with the European Parliament and the Council to ensure that the final legislation delivers safer roads, cleaner air and greater trust for Europe’s citizens.