Cyprus scolded for failing to transpose EU laws

The European Commission has sent letters of formal notice to Cyprus for having failed to notify national measures transposing two directives regarding road safety.

Along with Cyprus, the Commission has sent a letter of formal notice to another 12 member states (regarding updated requirements for technical roadside inspections) and to another 9 member states (regarding updated requirements for periodic roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles).

Member States included in the Commission’s package of “non-communication infringement” decisions now have two months to reply to the letters of formal notice and complete their transposition, or the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion. If a member state does not respond to a reasoned opinion within the deadline provided, the Commission may opt to take the case to the Court of the European Union.

The first letter of formal notice sent to Cyprus concerns Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2021/1716 which updates the roadside inspections technicalities and broadens the scope of vehicle categories subject to roadside inspections, such as high-speed tractors.

This Directive aims to improve road safety, a key issue as an estimated 19,900 people were killed on EU roads in 2021.

The Commission is sending a letter of formal notice to 13 Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Cyprus, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Austria, Poland and Finland) because they have failed to notify national measures fully transposing the Directive by the deadline of 27 September 2022.

The second letter of formal notice sent to Cyprus concerns Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2021/1717 which amends the practicalities of the periodic roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers, notably by updating certain vehicle category designations (high-speed tractors, powered two- and three-wheelers and quadricycles).

This directive also adds eCall, a system sending automated messages to the emergency services following a road crash, to the list of items which should be subject to periodic roadworthiness tests. This is important to ensure the longevity and durability of eCall, helping save people's lives in case of crashes.

The Commission is sending a letter of formal notice to 10 Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Ireland, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal and Finland) because they have failed to notify national measures fully transposing the Directive by the deadline of 27 September 2022.

The infringement package also includes letters of formal notice sent to Belgium, Denmark, Croatia and Portugal for not having transposed a series of directives ending a broad range of existing exemptions for the use of mercury in lamps.