opinion parliamentary committee, 2 February 2026
On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the registration documents for vehicles and vehicle registration data recorded in national vehicle registers
Document IMCO-AD-778121 · (COM(2025)0179 – C100073/2025 – 2025/0096(COD))
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection · Rapporteur: Klara Dostalova
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Short justification 108 paragraphs
The proposed amendments introduce significant modifications to the Commission's proposal, establishing a more balanced framework between digital transformation objectives and practical implementation realities while reinforcing data protection safeguards and Member State competencies. The amendments extend the implementation period from 4 years to 7 years across all relevant provisions, acknowledging the substantial technical, administrative, and budgetary challenges associated with implementing new digital infrastructure, particularly for Member States with varying levels of administrative capacity and existing legacy systems.
A fundamental revision concerns the approach to mobile registration certificates, transforming the mandatory issuance obligation into an optional framework whereby Member States may issue mobile certificates while physical certificates remain available by default upon applicant request. The issuance of mobile certificates would require explicit consent from the vehicle owner, establishing a consent-based rather than default digital system. Additionally, Member States would be permitted to utilize secure national digital solutions as alternatives to the EU Digital Identity Wallets, recognizing existing national infrastructure investments and interoperability considerations.
Several amendments establish stricter data governance frameworks, introducing a maximum 5-year retention period for information concerning previous holders and owners, with data processing strictly limited to safety and fraud prevention purposes. Personal data accessed for verification purposes would be restricted exclusively to competent authorities, with explicit prohibition on sharing with private entities or processing for commercial purposes. Cross-border access to registration data would be granted only upon justified request from competent authorities, establishing a request-based rather than automatic access regime.
The amendments introduce enhanced Member State operational flexibility through a temporary de-registration mechanism, modeled on existing Dutch practices, permitting vehicle suspension for up to 3 years with subsequent simplified re-registration procedures that do not require new technical inspections. Member States would retain the right to refuse re-registration where reasonable suspicion of fraud exists and may impose additional verification procedures or require new technical inspections in such circumstances, strengthening Member State capacity to combat cross-border vehicle fraud while maintaining proportionate administrative procedures.
Regarding odometer fraud prevention, the amendments limit recording obligations to the last valid periodic technical inspection, eliminating requirements for complete lifetime mileage history maintenance, achieving fraud prevention objectives while avoiding disproportionate administrative burden and data storage requirements. The amendments clarify that microchip functionality on smart card format certificates operates complementarily to QR code functionality, ensuring technological redundancy and verification flexibility, while registration cancellation procedures must be based on clearly defined legal grounds under Union or national law, with advance communication to vehicle owners, reinforcing principles of legal certainty and procedural fairness.
The amendments substantially strengthen parliamentary oversight mechanisms concerning delegated acts by requiring the Commission to present an impact assessment prior to adopting any delegated acts, establishing an evidence-based legislative approach. The delegation period is reduced from 5 years to 2 years, with renewal requiring explicit approval from the European Parliament and Council rather than tacit extension. A sunset clause provides that where delegation is not renewed, existing measures remain in force but no new acts may be adopted without recourse to the ordinary legislative procedure, ensuring appropriate separation between delegated and legislative powers. These amendments establish a framework that balances digital innovation with implementation feasibility, strengthens data protection standards, preserves Member State operational flexibility, and reinforces democratic accountability in the legislative process, responding to stakeholder consultations and reflecting proportionate, evidence-based policymaking that serves both internal market objectives and fundamental rights protection.
AMENDMENT
The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection submits the following to the Committee on Transport and Tourism, as the committee responsible:
Amendment 1
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4) Harmonisation of the registration certificates and the sharing of information recorded in the vehicle register will also facilitate the re-registering of vehicles that have previously been registered in another Member State, and will contribute to the proper functioning of the internal market. | (4) Harmonisation of the registration certificates and the sharing of information recorded in the vehicle register will also facilitate the re-registering of vehicles that have previously been registered in another Member State, and will contribute to the proper functioning of the internal market and to stronger consumer protection through greater transparency and reliability of vehicle data. |
Read the rest (96 paragraphs)
Amendment 2
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (5) To take account of the need for digitalisation, to strengthen Union competitiveness and to reduce administrative burdens, both physical and mobile registration certificates should be harmonised. Such certificates should be fully equivalent and contain exactly the same information. | (5) To take account of the need for digitalisation, to strengthen Union competitiveness and to reduce administrative burdens, both physical and mobile registration certificates should be harmonised. Such certificates should be fully equivalent and contain exactly the same information. The transition from physical registration certificates to mobile registration certificates should take account of the needs of citizens who may face barriers in using digital tools, and should guarantee that they are not placed at a disadvantage when complying with administrative requirements. Member States shall ensure that the transition to mobile registration certificates does not disadvantage citizens without adequate digital access or skills. |
Amendment 3
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (7) The digital transformation is one of the Union’s priorities. It is important to remove the remaining barriers, including the administrative burden associated with the re-registration of vehicles. This can impede the free movement of people, and their right to circulate freely within the Union and to take up residence in a Member State other than the one where their vehicle is currently registered. Therefore, as from [date of entry into force + 4 years], mobile registration certificates should be issued by default without affecting the applicant’s right to also request a physical registration certificate. To ensure interoperability of mobile registration certificates across the Union, technical specifications for those certificates should be set out. This will also make it possible to ensure vehicle registration certificates can be checked and verified. | (7) The digital transformation is one of the Union’s priorities. It is important to remove the remaining barriers, including the administrative burden associated with the re-registration and de-registration of vehicles. This can impede the free movement of people, and their right to circulate freely within the Union and to take up residence in a Member State other than the one where their vehicle is currently registered. Therefore, as from [date of entry into force + 3 years], mobile registration certificates should be issued by default without affecting the applicant’s right to also request a physical registration certificate, recognising the importance of accessibility and digital inclusion for all members of society. To ensure interoperability of mobile registration certificates across the Union, technical specifications for those certificates should be set out. This will also make it possible to ensure vehicle registration certificates can be checked and verified. A fully interoperable and secure digital framework will facilitate cross-border vehicle registration and strengthen consumer protection, while safeguarding data protection. |
Amendment 4
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (9) To facilitate cross-border movements, in particular the re-registration of vehicles, Member States should electronically record all required data on all vehicles registered in their territory and keep that data up to date at all times. That data will help: improve the accuracy of vehicle registers; ensure better law enforcement; combat vehicle fraud and theft; improve the exchange of information between Member States; and facilitate checking the status of vehicles due for export. | (9) To facilitate cross-border movements, in particular the re-registration and de-registration of vehicles, Member States should electronically record all required data on all vehicles registered in their territory and keep that data up to date at all times. That data will help: improve the accuracy of vehicle registers; ensure better law enforcement; combat vehicle theft and fraud, including odometer tampering; improve the exchange of information between Member States for the benefit of EU citizens, leveraging technology and data exchange to target criminal activity and help in the fight against fraud and crime linked to the purchase and sale of vehicles; improve public health by identifying high-emitting; and facilitate checking the status of vehicles due for export. |
Amendment 5
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (9a) To combat fraud and the illegal trade of stolen vehicles, Member States should ensure that liability and penalties are imposed on the perpetrator of such fraudulent activity, and not on the victim. |
Amendment 6
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (14) When re-registering a vehicle previously registered in another Member State, the competent authorities should, during a transitional period, require Part I of the physical registration certificate to be submitted. However, to facilitate free movement of people and to reduce the administrative burden, the competent authorities should also be allowed to accept the presentation of the mobile registration certificate during that period, if it was issued. After the transitional period, when re-registering a vehicle previously registered in another Member State, the competent authorities should accept both Part I of the physical registration certificate and the presentation of the mobile registration certificate. | (14) When re-registering a vehicle previously registered in another Member State, the competent authorities should, during a transitional period, require Part I of the physical registration certificate to be submitted. However, to facilitate free movement of people and to reduce the administrative burden, the competent authorities should also be allowed to accept the presentation of the mobile registration certificate during that period, if it was issued. After the transitional period, when re-registering a vehicle previously registered in another Member State, the competent authorities should accept either Part I of the physical registration certificate or the presentation of the mobile registration certificate. |
Amendment 7
Proposal for a directive
Recital 19
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (19) To combat fraud and the illegal trade in stolen vehicles, Member States should assist one another in the implementation of this Directive. This should include providing access to relevant registration data and roadworthiness information, including suspensions, to the registration authorities in other Member States. | (19) To combat fraud and the illegal trade in stolen vehicles, Member States should assist one another in the implementation of this Directive. This should include providing access to relevant registration data and roadworthiness information, including suspensions, to the registration authorities in other Member States. Furthermore, to ensure traceability and prevent fraudulent use of unregistered vehicles, the seller should be able to notify the competent national authority of any ownership transfer. Upon receipt of such notification, the seller should be removed from the register. |
Amendment 8
Proposal for a directive
Recital 19 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (19a) To combat fraud and the illegal trade in stolen bicycles, the Commission should evaluate the effectiveness of national bicycle identification registers where they are currently in place in the Member States. Based on that evaluation, the Commission should consider measures to facilitate the exchange of information on bicycle identification between Member States that have national bicycle identification registers and provide guidance to Member States willing to establish such a register, in line with the European Declaration on Cycling of 2024 and the objectives of developing cycling as a sustainable mode of transport. |
Amendment 9
Proposal for a directive
Recital 21
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (21) To enable the Commission to analyse the state of play in the Member States and to propose initiatives on a sound factual basis, Member States should communicate data to the Commission on the vehicles registered in their territory, including the number of physical and mobile registration certificates issued, the number of re-registrations of vehicles previously registered in another Member State, and the number of vehicle registrations suspended. The Commission should transmit the data collected to the European Parliament and to the Council | (21) To enable the Commission to analyse the state of play in the Member States and to propose initiatives on a sound factual basis, Member States should communicate data to the Commission on the vehicles registered in their territory, including the number of physical and mobile registration certificates issued, the number of re-registrations and de-registrations of vehicles previously registered in another Member State, and the number of vehicle registrations suspended. The Commission should transmit the data collected to the European Parliament and to the Council |
Amendment 10
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (2a) 'de-registration’ means the administrative act by which a vehicle’s registration is suspended or cancelled in the national vehicle register, temporarily, but for no longer than four years, resulting in the vehicle being no longer authorised for use on public roads until its re-registration or reactivation in accordance with national law; |
Amendment 11
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 3
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. Until [entry into force + 4 years], Member States shall issue physical registration certificates. They may also issue mobile registration certificates in addition to the physical certificates. | 3. Until [entry into force + 3 years], Member States shall issue physical registration certificates. They may also issue mobile registration certificates in addition to the physical certificates. |
Amendment 12
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 4
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4. With effect from [entry into force + 4 years + 1 day], Member States shall only issue mobile registration certificates. However, upon request of the applicant, Member States shall also issue a physical registration certificate. | 4. With effect from [entry into force + 3 years + 1 day], Member States shall issue mobile registration certificates. Upon request of the applicant, Member States shall also issue a physical registration certificate free of charge. Member States shall ensure that the procedures for obtaining a physical registration certificate are simple and user-friendly, and that applicants are able to fulfil their registration obligations effectively regardless of their level of digital skills. In the event that a vehicle is used by a driver other than the registered owner, the vehicle owner should be able to provide temporary access to the mobile certificate. The vehicle owner may also revoke that access at any time, thereby ensuring the temporary nature of the access. |
Amendment 13
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point a
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (a) to retrieve and store data to verify the authorisation of the vehicle to be used in road traffic; | (a) to retrieve and store only the data strictly necessary to verify the authorisation of the vehicle to be used in road traffic; |
Amendment 14
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 4
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4. By [entry into force + 2 years], the Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down detailed provisions concerning the technical specifications of mobile registration certificates, including verification features and the interface with national systems, and procedures for notifying trusted issuers of mobile registration certificates. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 14(2). | 4. By [entry into force + 1 year], the Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down detailed provisions concerning the technical specifications of mobile registration certificates, including verification features and the interface with national systems, and procedures for notifying trusted issuers of mobile registration certificates. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 14(2). |
Amendment 15
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point d
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (d) information on the previous holder and, where available, the previous owner of the vehicle; | (d) information on the previous holders and, where available, the previous owners of the vehicle limited to data necessary for safety, fraud prevention or environmental purposes; |
Amendment 16
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point g – point vii a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (viia) has been de-registered. |
Amendment 17
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 2
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. The Commission may adopt implementing acts specifying the relevant data referred to in paragraph 1, second subparagraph, point (a). Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure laid down in Article 14(2). | 2. The Commission may adopt implementing acts specifying the relevant data referred to in paragraph 1, second subparagraph, point (a). Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure laid down in Article 14(2). When adopting such implementing acts, the Commission shall ensure full coherence with existing empowerments under Regulation (EU) 2018/858 and the implementing acts adopted pursuant to that Regulation concerning the format and data requirements of the certificate of conformity (CoC). |
Amendment 18
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 2 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2a. Member States shall ensure that holders of registration certificates or vehicle owners are able to request the correction of inaccurate mobile certificate data through a simple electronic procedure, and that such corrections are processed without undue delay. |
Amendment 19
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 3
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. Member States may adopt measures to facilitate the retesting of a vehicle the authorisation of which for use in road traffic has been suspended. Those measures may include the grant of permission to travel on public roads between a place of repair and a test centre for the purpose of a roadworthiness test. | 3. Member States shall adopt measures to facilitate the retesting of a vehicle the authorisation of which for use in road traffic has been suspended. Those measures may include the grant of permission to travel on public roads between a place of repair and a test centre for the purpose of a roadworthiness test. |
Amendment 20
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 3 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (3a) Member States shall ensure that when a vehicle is sold or otherwise transferred to another person, whether registered or not, including vehicles that are temporarily de-registered or sold or transferred while not currently in circulation, the seller notifies the competent national authority of the transaction. Upon receipt of such notification, Member States shall ensure that the previous owner or, where relevant, the previous holder is removed from the register. |
Amendment 21
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 4 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4a. Member States that provide for a possibility of temporary de-registration of vehicles in their national legislation shall: | |
| (a) set out a maximum period for which such de-registration may be granted, but for no longer than four years; | |
| (b) ensure that renewals of temporary de-registration, are granted only for a defined and limited period and only where it can be ascertained that the de-registered vehicle still exists. |
Amendment 22
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 1
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. A physical registration certificate issued by a Member State in accordance with Article 4 shall be recognised by the other Member States for the identification of the vehicle in international traffic or for its re-registration in another Member State. | 1. A physical registration certificate issued by a Member State in accordance with Article 4 shall be recognised by the other Member States for the identification of the vehicle in cross-border traffic and for its re-registration in another Member State. |
Amendment 23
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 2
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. A mobile registration certificate issued by a Member State in accordance with Article 5 shall be recognised by the other Member States for the identification of the vehicle in international traffic or for its re-registration in another Member State with effect from [entry into force + 4 years + 1 day]. | 2. A mobile registration certificate issued by a Member State in accordance with Article 5 shall be recognised by the other Member States for the identification of the vehicle in cross-border traffic and for its re-registration in another Member State with effect from [entry into force + 3 years + 1 day]. |
Amendment 24
Proposal for a directive
Article 15 – paragraph 3
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. Access to the MOVE-HUB network shall be secured. Member States may connect only the authorities competent for the purposes referred to in paragraphs 1. | 3. Access and transmission to the MOVE-HUB network and data storage in that network shall be secured. Member States may connect only the authorities competent for the purposes referred to in paragraphs 1. |
Amendment 25
Proposal for a directive
Article 16 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (da) the number of vehicles de-registered according to Article 6 (1), second subparagraph, point (g)(vii a) of this Directive; |
Annex: declaration of input 4 paragraphs
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he included in his opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the opinion, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:
| 1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register |
| Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the European Union |
| 2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies |
The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.
Procedure pages
How the committees handled the text, and how their members voted on it.
Procedure – committee asked for opinion 1 paragraph
| Title | Registration documents for vehicles and vehicle registration data recorded in national vehicle registers | |
| References | COM(2025)0179 – C10-0073/2025 – 2025/0096(COD) | |
| Committee(s) responsible Date announced in plenary | TRAN 10.7.2025 | |
| Opinion by Date announced in plenary | IMCO 10.7.2025 | |
| Rapporteur for the opinion Date appointed | Klara Dostalova 7.10.2025 | |
| Previous rapporteur for opinion | Filip Turek | |
| Discussed in committee | 11.11.2025 | 4.12.2025 |
| Date adopted | 27.1.2026 | |
| Result of final vote | +: –: 0: | 37 3 6 |
Final vote by roll call by the committee asked for opinion 3 paragraphs
37 · For
- EPP
- Peter Agius, Pablo Arias Echeverría, Henrik Dahl, Regina Doherty, Christian Doleschal, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Arba Kokalari, Andreas Schwab, Tomislav Sokol, Dimitris Tsiodras, Inese Vaidere, Adina Vălean, Axel Voss, Tomáš Zdechovský
- Patriots
- Jaroslav Bžoch, Elisabeth Dieringer, Pál Szekeres
- Renew
- Jeannette Baljeu, Sandro Gozi, Svenja Hahn, Anna-Maja Henriksson, Nikola Minchev
- S&D
- Alex Agius Saliba, Biljana Borzan, Delara Burkhardt, Adnan Dibrani, Maria Grapini, Elisabeth Grossmann, Maria Guzenina, Pierfrancesco Maran, Idoia Mendia, Christel Schaldemose
- The Left
- Leila Chaibi, Gaetano Pedulla'
- Greens
- Katrin Langensiepen, Reinier Van Lanschot, Kim Van Sparrentak
3 · Against
- ESN
- Alexander Jungbluth, Milan Mazurek
- No group
- Kateřina Konečná
6 · Abstained
- ECR
- Stefano Cavedagna, Piotr Müller, Denis Nesci, Gheorghe Piperea, Reinis Pozņaks
- Patriots
- Jorge Martín Frías