New EU towing regulations

[Bob Brown]

I have a vintage UK 1968 Viking Fibreline caravan, which I restored, and which is currently in storage in the Dordogne in France.
Due to its age the van has no CRIS registration or chassis number. It's value is very low.
The new regulations require me to have the van registered to legally tow it into France.
I want to tow the van back to the UK next summer, but I cannot see how to comply with the new regulations.
I understand the van would not be allowed to cross from the UK to France without the correct documentation, but since the van is already in France, will I be allowed to tow it home?
Can anyone suggest how I can repatriate the van without upsetting the gendarmes?

 

[otherclive]

I have a vintage UK 1968 Viking Fibreline caravan, which I restored, and which is currently in storage in the Dordogne in France.
Due to its age the van has no CRIS registration or chassis number. It's value is very low.
The new regulations require me to have the van registered to legally tow it into France.
I want to tow the van back to the UK next summer, but I cannot see how to comply with the new regulations.
I understand the van would not be allowed to cross from the UK to France without the correct documentation, but since the van is already in France, will I be allowed to tow it home?
Can anyone suggest how I can repatriate the van without upsetting the gendarmes?

This is identical to your previous post and will onlyvserve to create confusion. Suggest you delete one.

Anyway welcome to the Forum. Here is a link that should provide you guidance albeit it will be a drawn out process with charges.

Can you not register it via the British online site?

https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/france/transport/vehicle-ownership/importing-a-caravan

https://www.gov.uk/register-trailer-to-take-abroad

 

[Bob Brown]

Thanks for your advice. I have registered the van via the British online site. I didn't realise that I could complete the registration form without a CRIS number, so problem solved!
Thanks again,
Best Regards,
Bob Brown
PS The French system looks horrendous!

 

[otherclive]

That simplifies it for you. Good outcome.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Might you consider transporting the caravan on a trailer, then its not being used on the roads. I'm not sure how the French might deal with it at the border. You would need to do some more research.

 

[JTQ]

Assuming you are using a UK registered towcar, does the recent changes mean you could not take an additional UK rear registration plate for that vehicle with you, plonk it on the van's rear and trundle home?

 

[Lutz]

Assuming you are using a UK registered towcar, does the recent changes mean you could not take an additional UK rear registration plate for that vehicle with you, plonk it on the van's rear and trundle home?

Yes, I would risk it. I haven’t heard of French authorities complaining about caravans that aren’t registered. It seems that, up to now, only German police have been fining owners of unregistered UK trailers. It‘ll probably take some time before it becomes widely known on the Continent that UK trailers aren’t normally registered. It’s taken since 2018 when the UK government agreed to implement registration for international travel to realise that. Strictly speaking, registration should have taken place ever since, but due to an obvious oversight it was not picked up by UK legislation until this year. However, once you’ve arrived on UK soil it won’t be an issue anyway.