(2004/C 33 E/151)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1685/03

by Brigitte Langenhagen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 May 2003)

Subject:   Digital tachographs

With the adoption of Regulation 2135/98 (1) it was decided that a new generation of digital tachographs would be introduced in the European Union. The regulation can only come into force when the technical specifications in Annex 1B are adopted and published. This has taken place in the form of Regulation 1360/2002 (2), published in Official Journal L 207 of 5 August 2002.

In the basic regulation 2135/98 certain periods of time are laid down for the introduction of the digital tachograph. These periods begin on the day of publication of Regulation 1360/2002. They relate to installation of digital tachographs in newly licensed vehicles (24 months according to Article 2(l)(a)), the issuing of driver cards by the Member States (21 months according to Article 2(2)) and component type-approval (12 months according to Article 2(3)).

How does the Commission assess compliance with these deadlines at present? What is the Commission's assessment of the situation as regards type-approval? What steps will the Commission take if type-approval has not been issued by 5 August 2003? When will the Commission launch the codecision procedure to set new deadlines, in accordance with Article 2(3) of Regulation 2135/98, should it become clear in advance of 5 August 2003 that type-approval will not be available in time to meet the deadline? What alternative ways has the Commission considered of ensuring that digital tachometers are introduced? What is the Commission's assessment of the situation as regards the issue of driver cards by the European Union Member States in time to meet the deadline?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(2 July 2003)

The procedure for type approval is described in Annex 1B to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1360/2002 of 13 June 2002 adapting for the seventh time to technical progress Council Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport (2). A type approval certificate can only be granted if a manufacturer successively holds a security certificate, a functional certificate and an interoperability certificate. To obtain an interoperability certificate manufacturers need to follow an exceptional procedure which can take several months. At present, none of the tachograph and card manufacturers have started the interoperability procedure. This leads to the conclusion that there will probably be no type approval certificate on 5 August 2003 (12 months after the publication of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1360/2002). However, the Commission could expect that the first type approval will be granted before the end of the year.

The submission by the Commission of a proposal for an extension of the implementation deadlines would in all likelihood considerably delay the introduction of the digital tachograph. Considering the apparent abuses of the current analogue tachograph with its negative consequences on road safety, the Commission is of the opinion that the digital tachograph needs to be introduced as soon as possible. Therefore, the Commission intends to revaluate the situation, when the first manufacturers will have obtained a type approval later in 2003.

In order to help Member States to implement the digital tachograph before 5 August 2004, the Commission is supporting two projects.

The first project, initiated by the French ministry for Infrastructure, Transport and Housing, deals with the issuing of tachograph cards. The timely issuing of tachograph cards is of utmost importance for the successful introduction of the digital tachograph. One of the key elements of this project is TACHOnet, a system enabling the exchange of information between national administrations responsible for the issuing of tachograph cards and the enforcement of driving and rest times of professional drivers. The design phase of TACHOnet was recently completed. Member States will now start the implementation phase.

The second project, initiated by the Swedish National Road Administration, deals with implementation issues in a more general sense, such as approval conditions and instructions for workshops, recommendations for transport companies on data management and for enforcers on road side and company checks.

These projects will effectively help the Member States to implement the digital tachograph.

(1)  OJ L 274, 9.10.1998, p. 1.

(2)  OJ L 207, 5.8.2002.