STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS.

S.I. No. 243 of 2004 .

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (VEHICLE TESTING) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 2004.

S.I. No. 243 of 2004 .

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (VEHICLE TESTING) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 2004.

I, SÉAMUS BRENNAN, Minister for Transport, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the European Communities Act 1972 ( No. 27 of 1972 ) and for the purpose of giving further effect to Council Directive 96/96/EC of 20 December 1996¹ , hereby make the following regulations:

1.  (1) These Regulations may be cited as the European Communities (Vehicle Testing) (Amendment) Regulations 2004.

(2) These Regulations and the European Communities (Vehicle Testing) Regulations 1991 to 2002 shall be construed together as one and may be cited together as the European Communities (Vehicle Testing) Regulations 1991 to 2004.

2.  In these Regulations “first registration” means the date on which a vehicle was first registered, irrespective of country of registration, or where only the year of first registration is known, that year, in combination with the day and month of first registration in the State, and “first registered” shall be construed accordingly.

3.  These Regulations come into operation--

(a)  in respect of a vehicle which was first registered on or before 31 May 2000, on the date which, but for these Regulations, would be the next test due date,

(b)  in respect of a vehicle which was first registered between 1 June 2000 and 31 August 2000, on the fourth anniversary of first registration of such vehicle, and

(c)  in respect of a vehicle which was first registered on or after 1 September 2000, on 1 September 2004.

4.  The European Communities (Vehicle Testing) Regulations 1991 ( S.I. No. 356 of 1991 ) are amended--

(a)  at reference number 5, of column 2 of the First Schedule, by substituting “1 year” for “4 years”, and

(b)  at reference number 5, of column 3 of the First Schedule, by substituting “1 year” for “2 years”.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These regulations amend the existing regulatory requirements in relation to the frequency of testing of Light Goods Vehicles. The regulations require these vehicles to be tested when 1 year old and annually thereafter and brings their testing arrangements into line with other goods vehicles.

¹ OJ No. L046, 17.02.1997.