The European and regional regulations impose strict criteria on manufacturers in the automotive industry. Due to safety, environmental and trade reasons the European Union set out a whole series of requirements for the production of both motor vehicles, and their parts, systems and technical units.

What you need to know

As a manufacturer you do not only have to meet these requirements, you also have to make sure your production is in accordance with the approved types (see Audit & Certification). Once a vehicle meets these requirements, it can be registered and used in every EU member state. The measure is known as the EC whole vehicle type approval scheme (ECWVTA), whereby approval means that one EU member state confirms that a vehicle type, system, component or technical unit meets all relevant administrative provisions and technical requirements.

ECWVTA

The ECWVTA consists of a number of tests, performed at the manufacturer’s plant or at a third party. These evaluate both a prototype of a vehicle and the production process. If both succeed for the strict safety and environmental tests, the vehicle is granted the EC type approval for whole vehicles. All vehicles manufactured in the same way will automatically be granted the EC certificate of conformity (EC CoC). This certificate makes it possible to register and use the vehicle in any EU member state.

Who we do it for

This total solution is intended for all manufacturers (Belgian or international) of vehicles, including passenger cars, trailers, vans, coaches and buses, trucks etcetera, both for ECWVTA and for type approval of national small series (NSSTA). Producers of vehicle components and technical units which are governed by the same legislation also benefit from this service, e.g. manufacturers of rear underrun protection of vehicles, devices for indirect vision, electronic/electrical sub-assemblies (ESA), immobilizer and alarm systems, lamps, safety glass, tires, couplings, safety belts, etc.

Relevant legislation and standards
  • Sound level (EU) 540/2014
  • Emission (Euro 5 and 6) light-duty vehicles/access to information (EC) 715/2007
  • Prevention of fire risks (liquid fuel tanks) UN 034
  • Rear underrun protective devices (RUPDs) and their installation; rear underrun protection (RUP) UN 058
  • Space for mounting and fixing rear registration plates (EU) 1003/2010
  • Steering equipment UN 079
  • Vehicle access and maneuverability (EU) 130/2012
  • Door latches and door retention components UN 011
  • Audible warning devices and signals UN 028
  • Devices for indirect vision and their installation UN 046
  • Braking of passenger cars UN 013H
  • Electromagnetic compatibility UN 010
  • Interior fittings UN 021
  • Protection of motor vehicles against unauthorized use UN 116
  • Protection of the driver against the steering mechanism in the event of impact UN 012
  • Seats, their anchorages and any head restraints UN 017
  • Seats of large passenger vehicles UN 080
  • External projections UN 026
  • Vehicle access and maneuverability (EU)130/2012
  • Speedometer equipment including its installation UN 039
  • Manufacturer's statutory plate and vehicle identification (EU)19/2011
  • Safety-belt anchorages UN 014
  • Installation of lighting and light-signaling devices on vehicles UN 048
  • Retro-reflecting devices for power-driven vehicles UN 003
  • Front and rear position lamps, stop-lamps and end-outline marker lamps for motor vehicles and their trailers UN 007
  • Daytime running lamps for power-driven vehicles UN 087
  • Side-marker lamps for motor vehicles and their trailers UN 091
  • Direction indicators for power-driven and their trailers UN 006
  • Illumination of rear-registration plates of power-driven vehicles and their trailers UN 004
  • Motor vehicle headlamps equipped with gas-discharge light sources UN 098
  • Motor vehicle headlamps emitting an asymmetrical passing beam or a driving beam or both and equipped with filament lamps and/or LED modules UN 112
  • Power-Driven vehicle front fog lamps UN 019
  • Towing device (EU) 1005/2010
  • Rear fog lamps for power-driven vehicles and their trailers UN 038
  • Parking lamps for power-driven vehicles UN 077
  • Safety-belts, restraint systems, child restraint systems and Isofix child restraint systems UN 016
  • Forward field of vision UN 125
  • Location and identification of hand controls, tell-tales and indicators UN 121
  • Windscreen defrosting and demisting systems (EU) 672/2010
  • Windscreen wiper and washer systems (EU) 1008/2010
  • Heating systems UN 122
  • Wheel guards (EU) 1009/2010
  • Head restraints (headrests), whether or not incorporated in vehicle seats UN 025
  • Emissions (Euro VI) heavy-duty vehicles/access to information (EC) 595/2009
  • Masses and dimensions (cars) (EU) 1230/2012
  • Safety glazing materials and their installation on vehicles UN 43
  • Installation of tyres (EU) 458/2011
  • Pneumatic tyres for motor vehicles and their trailers (Class C1) UN 030
  • Temporary-use spare unit, run-flat tyres/system and tyre pressure monitoring system UN 064
  • Protection of occupants in the event of a frontal collision UN 094
  • Protection of occupants in the event of a lateral collision UN 095
  • Pole Side Impact (PSI) UN 135
  • Pedestrian protection UN 127
  • Recyclability (EC) 2005/64/EC
  • Air conditioning systems (EC) 2006/40/EC
  • Hydrogen system UN 134
  • General safety (EU) 2019/2144
  • Gear shift indicator (EU) 65/2012
  • Vehicle alarm systems (VAS) UN 097
  • Electric safety UN 100
  • e-call (EU) 2015/758
About Vinçotte (member of Kiwa Group)

Vinçotte is an ISO/IEC 17020 inspection body accredited by Belac, the Belgian Accreditation institution. We are notified by the Belgian authorities (e6/E6) to the European Commission and the European Economic Commission of the United Nations (UNECE) as a Technical Service in category B, C and D. This notification allows Vinçotte to conduct international inspections on all tests specified in the European framework directive 2007/46/EC and the related regulations set out in Annex IV.

Advantages

Vinçotte’s ‘Vehicle type approval’ offers you a total service package, including worst-case meetings, surveillance tests, drawing up official test reports, as well as assistance in the certification process. Our File Management System also makes sure that confidential information and certificates are securely shared between the three parties: the manufacturer, the technical department and the authorities.

As an accredited technical service Vinçotte maintains good relations with the Belgian authorities. These close ties, combined with solid experience, guarantee a smooth handling of your approval project. After the successful completion of the approval process you receive all documents you need for the production start, sale and registration of your vehicles, components and technical units.

We also have useful international contacts which may be very helpful in obtaining approval information and assistance on foreign markets.