UK riders’ rights group the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC), has issued a clarification on proposals for ‘End of Life Vehicle’ (ELV) regulations in the EU, and their impact on the UK. ELV rules are intended to properly manage the scrapping and recycling of road vehicles and have only applied to four-wheel vehicles up till now. But proposals in Brussels could extend the regulations to two- and three-wheelers, meaning bikes, outfits, and trikes could become subject to the rules. There are concerns about how these rules, designed for cars and vans, could impact the bike world, with heritage machinery, second-hand parts supply, and customising all potentially being harmed.
But the NMC says the rules may not be adopted in the EU. The Federation of European Motorcyclists (FEMA) is fighting the changes, pointing out that the bike trade is already extremely good at recycling and re-using parts from scrapped machinery. More than 60% of bikes are recycled in the Nordic countries, but new rules could disrupt these existing arrangements.
The NMC recognises the potential threat that these regulations, once they become EU law, represent
However, the NMC says that even if the EU adopts the rules, they’re unlikely to affect the UK. NMC executive director Craig Carey-Clinch said: “It’s important to recognise that in the first instance, these proposals will not, on the face of it, affect the UK – they are EU proposals, not Westminster ones. Sadly, this distinction has not been made clear in several media reports about ELVs. However, the NMC recognises the potential threat that these regulations, once they become EU law, represent, with them possibly being implemented through the back door as part of a revision of domestic ELV regulations.
“As such, we fully support the work of FEMA and also the FIM to ensure that the new laws should they eventually be adopted, do not take away rider choice and decisions about the future of their motorcycles once they are approaching the end of their initially useful lives.
Protections that allow the continued sale and trade in used components and restoration projects must also be put in place.
“The current UK ELV regulations for cars and smaller vans are managed across several government departments (but not the Department for Transport) and the NMC is liaising with these, so that a greater understanding of the long terms plans for UK ELV regulations can be gained and that the position of motorcyclists in relation to any future updated UK ELV regulations can be properly understood by the government.”