Brussels (Brussels Morning) – Starting July 1, 2024, most passenger cars in Flanders will undergo inspection every two years instead of annually. Inspections can also occur outside authorized centres. Minister Lydia Peeters supports these changes to reduce waiting times, though GOCA Flanders warns of potential safety and environmental impacts.
What are the new car inspection intervals in Flanders?
From 1st July 2024, most passenger cars will only have to undergo car inspection every two years. In addition, passenger cars, light trucks and trailers can also be inspected outside authorised inspection centres.Â
The Flemish government has given the green light for this. According to Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters, the interventions should “remove the pressure on the inspection centres, reduce waiting times and improve services”. GOCA Flanders, the sector federation for car inspection, warns of “the negative impact on road safety and the environment and the wrong signals to the motorist”.
In most cases, anyone who has a car that is older than four years must undergo an annual car inspection. With the new measure, the periodicity changes and the vehicle must only be inspected every two years from the day the vehicle is four years old until the vehicle has 160,000 km on the odometer or is ten years old. From then on, the vehicle must be inspected annually.Â
Why did Minister Lydia Peeters support the inspection changes?
According to Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters, the intervention should help to reduce long waiting times at the inspection centres and increase customer satisfaction. The Open VLD minister also refers to abroad. “Car inspection every two years is already applied in eleven Member States. It was logical that Flanders would follow,” he said. The minister is also convinced that the measure will not be at the expense of road safety.Â
What concerns does GOCA Flanders have about the new measures?
Inspection federation GOCA has objected to this. The federation calls the adjustment “a step in the wrong direction” and fears that there will be a “negative impact on road safety and the environment”. The federation also has “major doubts about such decisions in an election campaign”. The sector is also considering taking further steps against the measure “because of the legal flaws”.
In addition to the adjusted periodicity of the inspection, it has also been definitively decided that passenger cars, light freight and light trailers may also be inspected outside a recognized inspection centre, such as at a garage that installs an inspection line for this purpose. The inspection must be carried out by inspectors who work at the recognized inspection bodies.
