FIVA - FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DES VEHICULES ANCIENS

FIVA is following with interest the proposal by the European Commission on End-of-life Vehicles (ELVs) COM/2023/451 final. FIVA welcomes the introduction of the historic vehicle definition as provided by the Roadworthiness Testing Directive 2014/45/EU, as well as the exemption of historic vehicles from the ELV category.

The ELV Directive Recital 10 states: Vintage vehicles, meaning historic vehicles or vehicles of value to collectors or intended for museums, kept in a proper and environmentally sound manner, either ready for use or stripped into parts, are not covered by the definition of waste laid down by Directive 75/442/EEC and do not fall within the scope of this Directive.

The Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens defines a historic vehicle as a mechanically propelled road vehicle which is at least 30 years old; which is preserved and maintained in a historically correct condition; which is not used as a means of daily transport and which is therefore a part of our technical and cultural heritage.

The Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA) urges and recommends EU decisionmakers to take the valued contribution of historic vehicles (HVs) to cultural heritage into consideration. To keep historic vehicles on the road, as a living example of our motoring heritage that is shared with the public, and especially the younger generations, it is indispensable that fuel is available to keep vehicles…

The average Historic Vehicle is taken out about 15 times a year, with historic cars travelling around 1,400km and historic motorcycles less than 900km per year. Considering this marginal use, their impact on air quality is negligible. Historic Vehicles are not for daily use and are thus not a part of the general transport mix in the context of the policy discussions on improving urban mobility.

FIVA calls on the European Parliament and the Council to: Maintain the current approach to historic vehicles, including the freedom of Member States to define and manage their inspection regimes; Introduce a requirement for all Member States to protect vehicles of historical interest, in line with the EU definition; Confirm the principle that vehicles must be assessed against the technical and environmental…

FIVA shares the objective of improving road safety in the EU. FIVA is especially interested in this proposal because many of its activities and events imply cross-border travelling. We are convinced that European motoring heritage deserves to be shown across the entire continent and this is why we need EU-wide rules to ensure the EU right to mobility.

FIVA supports the objective of improving air quality and welcomes the drafts emphasis on reasonable and proportionate measures, including the need to avoid significant impacts on personal mobility. In applying this principle, Member States should take due account of the specific characteristics of historic vehicles.