Over two decades, EU approval requirements have expanded across emissions, diagnostics, safety and technical documentation. Following them closely is our daily work.
An EU type-approval certifies that a vehicle type meets the applicable technical requirements. It is identified by an approval number such as e1*168/2013*00XXX, indicating the approving Member State, the regulation and the approval reference. Each vehicle produced is accompanied by a Certificate of Conformity (CoC), which allows its registration throughout the European Union.
Main EU approval requirements added for Category L vehicles and agricultural and forestry tractors since 2000. Where two dates are given, the first applies to new vehicle types and the second to all new vehicles.
| Period | Category | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–2003 | T | Staged exhaust-emission limits (Stage I and Stage II) were introduced for diesel engines powering agricultural and forestry tractors, phased in by engine power band. (Directive 2000/25/EC) |
| 2003–2007 | L | Motorcycle exhaust-emission limits were tightened in two steps (new types: 1 April 2003 and 1 January 2006; all new vehicles: 1 July 2004 and 1 January 2007), with a single 2003 step for tricycles and quadricycles. (Directive 2002/51/EC) |
| 2005–2009 | T | EC whole-vehicle type-approval became mandatory for tractors of categories T1, T2 and T3: from 1 July 2005 for new types and 1 July 2009 for all new vehicles. (Directive 2003/37/EC, Art. 23) |
| 2006–2014 | T | Tractor engine emission requirements moved through Stages IIIA, IIIB and IV, applied progressively across engine power categories. (Directive 2005/13/EC) |
| 2016 | L & T | Dedicated EU frameworks for L-category vehicles and for agricultural and forestry vehicles became applicable on 1 January 2016, with their own delegated and implementing acts. (Regulations (EU) No 168/2013 and No 167/2013) |
| 2016–2017 | L | Advanced braking became mandatory for L3e motorcycles (ABS for A2/A3, ABS or CBS for A1, enduro and trial exempt), alongside sealed-housing evaporative-emission testing for L3e, L4e, L5e-A and L7e-A. (Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, Annexes IV and VIII) |
| 2016–2018 | T | Detailed construction, braking and functional-safety requirements applied to tractors, including anti-lock braking for fast tractors above 60 km/h. (Delegated Regulations (EU) No 1322/2014, 2015/68, 2015/208) |
| 2016–2025 | L | Euro 4 limits applied from 2016/2017 (2017/2018 for mopeds and light quadricycles), followed by Euro 5 in 2020/2021, postponed to 2024/2025 for L2e-U, enduro and trial motorcycles (L3e-AxE/AxT) and L6e-B. (Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, Annex IV, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2019/129) |
| 2019–2020 | T | Stage V non-road engine requirements became mandatory for tractors, from 1 January 2019 (below 56 kW and above 130 kW) and 1 January 2020 (56–130 kW), subject to transition periods. (Regulation (EU) 2016/1628; Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/985) |
| 2020–2025 | L | OBD stage II was phased in for L3e (except enduro and trial), L4e, L5e-A and L7e-A, extended to catalyst monitoring with stricter thresholds in 2024/2025; the calculated-durability route required more than 2,500 or 3,500 km before ending on 31 December 2024. (Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, Arts. 21 and 23, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2019/129) |
| 2025 | T | From 1 January 2025, new tractors may no longer be fitted with braking systems compatible only with single-line hydraulic trailer couplings. (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/68, Art. 16(2), as amended) |
Ahead: cybersecurity requirements (UN Regulation No 155) will apply to L-category vehicles from 11 December 2027 for new types and from 11 June 2029 for existing types (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1455).
| Category | Main acts |
|---|---|
| Category L | Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 · Delegated Regulations (EU) No 3/2014 (functional safety), No 44/2014 (vehicle construction), No 134/2014 (environmental and propulsion performance) · Implementing Regulation (EU) No 901/2014 (administrative requirements) · Regulation (EU) 2019/129 (Euro 5) |
| Category T | Regulation (EU) No 167/2013 · Delegated Regulations (EU) No 1322/2014 (construction), 2015/68 (braking), 2015/208 (functional safety), 2018/985 (environmental and propulsion performance) · Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/504 (administrative requirements) |
HOMOL is a vehicle manufacturer with its own World Manufacturer Identifier. For vehicles designed by their producers for other uses or other markets, we carry out the additional engineering for road use and obtain their EU approval under our own name.
We prepare the technical documentation and carry out the required tests with designated technical services.
Confidentiality is a matter of course: technical data shared with us by partners and suppliers is handled under strict non-disclosure.