The rules, updated to improve road safety, will set new minimum common standards across the EU for vehicle testing and inspectors’ training and competences. In addition, at least five per cent of the commercial vehicles on roads in the EU as a whole will be subject to roadside inspections.

Member states can also impose stricter standards than those laid down in the rules if they wish.

The new rules will have a firm impact on road safety. ‘The whole package will contribute to achieving the road safety target of halving the number of road fatalities in the Union by 2020,’ said Olga Sehnalova, rapporteur for the technical roadside inspections file.

By securing the existing minimum testing frequency against the stricter approach of proposed by the Commission, the standards will prevent an additional administrative burden for the citizens. In addition, it will be easier to re-register a vehicle in another member country under the new rules as member states will be required to recognise a valid roadworthiness certificate issued by another member state.

‘With the new directive we set clear rules on recognising roadworthiness tests, meaning that no extra tests and costs are needed, ‘ said Vilja Savisaar-Toomast, rapporteur on vehicle registration documents.

Efforts to detect odometer fraud (tampering with the mileometer) must be beefed up, by including odometer readings in roadworthiness tests and certificates and member states must ensure that tampering is punished effectively.

To support roadside inspections, the new rules will say that member states should use risk-rating systems to target firms whose commercial vehicle fleets have poor safety records and reduce the administrative burden for those with good safety records.

The agreement now needs to be formally approved by the Council.