Tribune Europe is making progress in integrating its automotive market. With the introduction of the European Certificate of Conformity (COC) in 1996 and the harmonization of technical control procedures from 2014, there is freedom to trade new and used cars between the different Member States.
But for older cars, that’s a different story. The Member States still have a wide margin of appreciation for the registration of these cars, in particular as regards technical inspections. As a result, the European vintage car market remains fragmented and is not reaching full maturity, unlike the United States.
Is a vintage car a used car like any other? The Community institutions do not distinguish between cars over 30 years old (generally considered to belong to the category of vintage vehicles) and other used vehicles. They leave the Member States a certain autonomy in the matter, judging that it is at their level that the rules must be modulated for this type of vehicle.
No European harmonization
Thus, technical control cannot be applied in all its severity to cars that do not meet the requirements of our time, it is up to each government to set its own standards. Braking and grounding requirements are generally less, and some equipment that was not mandatory when the vehicle was marketed (such as hazard lights or exterior mirrors) is not always necessary.
Most European countries have therefore maintained derogatory statutes for cars over 30 which are specific to them (the “collection” registration card in France or veteran H plates in Germany).
For these particular statuses, technical control is a priori not recognized at European level. So that a “Intra-community delivery” for this type of car is not without risk. The country of the purchaser may refuse to validate the existing technical control, or even prohibit traffic on the grounds that the car does not comply with local technical control standards.
A European paradox
As a result, the freedom to trade vintage cars in Europe is reduced. Importing a vintage car, for example from Spain or Italy, remains risky, even when it is authorized to drive in its country of origin. This obstacle has not prevented a rapid expansion of the sector, driven by a spectacular rise in the price of old for more than a decade and a heritage logic. But it prohibited the creation of a true European sector capable of competing with the major players in the sector, mainly American.
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