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Construction machines on public roads

Regulations are proposed for construction machines on public roads.
By MJ Woof September 7, 2023 Read time: 1 min
New regulations are proposed for the use of construction machines on the road in Europe – image © courtesy of Mike Woof

A new set of regulations are proposed for the approval and market surveillance of non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) circulating on public roads. These have been put forward by the European Commission and are supported by Europe’s construction machinery body CECE.

This proposed legislation will close gaps in the single market and streamlining regulatory processes. Harmonising the framework for NRMM operating on public roads will lead to safer products and greater market efficiency across Europe, reducing barriers and facilitating the free movement of goods and services.

However, CECE, with this position paper, draws attention to certain critical aspects requiring further evaluation to prevent market distortions or ambiguities while proposing tailored amendments.

Key aspects include the importance of clarifying the scope, which should solely focus on the type-approval process and circulation of NRMM on public roads, since restricting market placement based on permission to circulate on public roads would deviate from the regulation's intent and create distortions. They also cover the inclusion of individual approvals within the scope and clarity in applicable rules during the transition period. There should be clarification on the treatment of end-of-series vehicles and the national homologation process. And there is the need to eliminate redundancies, enhance clarity and coherence in conformity assessment requirements (Article 15).
 

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