Register UK type approved caravan in France

[9994johng]

Hi has anyone here done this recently? Lots of posts from years ago when it seemed tricky. I ask due to having some conflicting information from DREAL. They sent a form entitled
Used trailers of categories O1 and O2 imported not in conformity with a French
national type-approval or a European type-approval
AFFECTED VEHICLES
Used trailers imported from the European Economic Area, with a GVW of less than 3,500
kg, unbraked or equipped with an inertia brake.
For new trailers or trailers not originating from the EEA, see "New trailers with a GVW of
less than or equal to 3,500 kg"

So I have been running around to the weighbridge, taking bits off and going underneath to find serial numbers, photographing etc compiling my “dossier” and expecting to have to go and see the (not very) local DREAL for inspection, then I get a better translation ( see below). If my 2022 Bailey has EU type approval (it has and I have the cert with me) can I just register it online with ANTS? Has anyone done this recently, say last couple of years?
I’ve done the pigtail.


□ If your trailer has obtained a European type-approval, no individual type-approval will be
carried out

□ If registration is not directly possible with the ANTS, the manufacturer must first obtain a
CNIT from the UTAC

 

[Lutz]

I have no experience with registering a vehicle in France, but if you have the EU type approval Certificate of Conformity, which you say you do, there should be no problem in registering the caravan there.
What I can't understand is why you are apparently being asked to have the caravan weighed. Its actual mass should already be documented under item 13.2. on the certificate and its mass in running order under item 13.

 

[9994johng]

Yes thanks Lutz, i’m thinking I’m over complicating it trying to satisfy the inspection for a non conformant old van. The form from DREAL wanted weight (sorry you are correct mass) hooked up and unhooked so I spent an hour and €40 at a merde to methane processing plant (whew!) using the Weighbridge. Which showed the correct mass. Email to DREAL tomorrow to clear this up and looking at the ANTS process direct. Also how to get a temporary plate which will take the time pressure off, because after 10 dec I won’t have a uk car.

 

[otherclive]

Yes thanks Lutz, i’m thinking I’m over complicating it trying to satisfy the inspection for a non conformant old van. The form from DREAL wanted weight (sorry you are correct mass) hooked up and unhooked so I spent an hour and €40 at a merde to methane processing plant (whew!) using the Weighbridge. Which showed the correct mass. Email to DREAL tomorrow to clear this up and looking at the ANTS process direct. Also how to get a temporary plate which will take the time pressure off, because after 10 dec I won’t have a uk car.

I don’t understand what an “non conformant old van” is when in your post above you mention a 2022 Bailey which will have EU Type Approval.

 

[RogerL]

I don’t understand what an “non conformant old van” is when in your post above you mention a 2022 Bailey which will have EU Type Approval.

Difficult to avoid getting political - but is there a possibility that products sold after 31st January 2020 no longer get EU Type Approval but get "UK Type Approval" instead?

 

[Lutz]

Difficult to avoid getting political - but is there a possibility that products sold after 31st January 2020 no longer get EU Type Approval but get "UK Type Approval" instead?

To my knowledge, a UK specific vehicle type approval has not been introduced yet. Until such time, type approval is still carried out per EC requirements.

 

[otherclive]

Difficult to avoid getting political - but is there a possibility that products sold after 31st January 2020 no longer get EU Type Approval but get "UK Type Approval" instead?

Like a lot of decisions made after the date in your post we were not ready to invoke UKCA and since then the two systems CE and UKCA seem to be run in parallel, with UKCA mirroring CE. Whether we like it or not CE will continue to be a mainstream requirement for exports.

Don’t let confusion cost your business – UKCA to go away?

The UK government has announced plans to extend recognition of the CE marking ‘indefinitely’ beyond the upcoming deadline of 31 December 2024 for certain products placed on the Great Britain (GB) market, leading to uncertainty over the future of the UKCA marking.

www.shoosmiths.com

 

[RogerL]

To my knowledge, a UK specific vehicle type approval has not been introduced yet. Until such time, type approval is still carried out per EC requirements.

The UK government enacted all EU law into UK law so that it carried on after we left the EU - I guess I'm questioning whether a Type Approval from the UK after 31/1/20 would be acceptable within the EU, in this case to register a caravan in France.

 

[Lutz]

The UK government enacted all EU law into UK law so that it carried on after we left the EU - I guess I'm questioning whether a Type Approval from the UK after 31/1/20 would be acceptable within the EU, in this case to register a caravan in France.

If it's still done in the UK according to EC requirements why not?
Type approval carried out in one EU country will be accepted by any of the others. If the format of a UK issued type approval certificate hasn't changed, there should be no problem. It has to be reciprocal because otherwise vehicles built in the EU and type approved according to their requirements couldn't be imported into the UK.

 

[ProfJohnL]

If it's still done in the UK according to EC requirements why not?
Type approval carried out in one EU country will be accepted by any of the others. If the format of a UK issued type approval certificate hasn't changed, there should be no problem. It has to be reciprocal because otherwise vehicles built in the EU and type approved according to their requirements couldn't be imported into the UK.

Sadly its not quite that simple, even though the EU and UK regulatory requirements may appear to be the same, they are legally different systems, and for some categories of product approval under one scheme does not automatically mean they are also approved under both schemes.

Some products have to be submitted for independent approvals testing under each scheme, unless there has been an accord where by the remote scheme can accept the testing regime of the local scheme as being adequate to fulfil the remote requirement.

I do not know if post brexit UK built caravans wholey conform and are accepted automatically as being compliant with EU regulations for the purposes of permanent relocation to an EU country.

 

[Lutz]

Sadly its not quite that simple, even though the EU and UK regulatory requirements may appear to be the same, they are legally different systems, and for some categories of product approval under one scheme does not automatically mean they are also approved under both schemes.

Some products have to be submitted for independent approvals testing under each scheme, unless there has been an accord where by the remote scheme can accept the testing regime of the local scheme as being adequate to fulfil the remote requirement.

I do not know if post brexit UK built caravans wholey conform and are accepted automatically as being compliant with EU regulations for the purposes of permanent relocation to an EU country.

So long as the documentation includes all the technical information that is required to issue French registration papers it's immaterial whether the vehicle was actually type approved elsewhere or not. A completed type approval certificate, wherever issued, will, however, always provide the necessary information.

 

[9994johng]

Some encouraging stuff on here thanks. I’ve copied the certs & sent to DREAL querying whether I need an inspection or can go straight to ANTS.