Making life easier for citizens when moving with their cars to another EU Member State

The diversity of rules and the various conflicting requirements for cars registered across the EU still constitute a considerable impediment for the cross border transfer of vehicles already registered in one Member State. These problems also represent a significant barrier for cross-border workers, citizens, car dealers, car-rental companies and all people who buy or sell a car in another EU country. As a consequence EU citizens are frequently faced with cumbersome registration formalities and paperwork when buying a car in another Member State or transferring it due to change of residence. These problems occur also in car rental business, when companies are trying to relocate their fleets from one Member State to another depending on seasonal variation in demand.

This press memo informs on:

• The most important changes the new proposal will bring about
• The current difficulties citizens face when moving with their cars in the EU
• Estimation of the costs of the current system

1. Less paperwork and formalities when moving with a car

There are more than 300 million registered cars, buses, trucks and vans in Europe. Most of these will not be concerned by this proposal which concerns only the cars, buses, trucks and vans that frequently go across the borders within the EU. It is estimated that 3.5 million vehicles are transferred to another Member State per year.

The proposal introduces the principle that a car should be registered in the EU country where its owner lives, and that all other Member States may not ask her/him to register the car with them, even if the car owner spend a longer period there.

For companies, the same principle applies: the cars, buses, vans and trucks should be registered in the EU country where the main office is established.

A few examples:

• People who spend part of the year in a holiday residence in another EU country will not have to re-register their car there.
• People who work in another EU country and use a car registered by their employer there will no longer have to register it in their home country.
• Car-rental companies will be able to transfer cars to another EU country during the holiday periods without re-registration (e.g. keeping the same cars at the sea side during summer and in the Alps during the winter). This should lower the price of car rentals.

The most important changes:

• Moving permanently to another country with car will be easier: Most of the paperwork and the physical controls will be abolished. Car registration offices will get the technical information directly from their counterparts in the other EU country. This will save a lot of time and reduce bureaucracy.
• Six months for registering cars abroad: Citizens will have 6 months to re-register their car after their move to another Member State.
• Easier to buy cars abroad: Citizens who buy or sell a second-hand car in another EU country will not have to face additional technical controls and administrative problems.

• This proposal also introduces a temporary registration of 30 days so that a second-hand car can be easily driven to its new owner.
• There will be no change for selling cars within a Member State.
• Car dealers who like to sell cars in another Member State can use a ‘professional registration’ for short drives across the border.

• Cars will continue to be registered in the home country of the owner. It will not be possible to register a car in any Member State.
• Impossible to register a stolen car: Registration authorities will increasingly cooperate with each other, making it easier to track stolen cars. The vehicle registration authorities of other Member States will be informed that a vehicle is reported as stolen. That will allow them to refuse its registration if the stolen car is presented to them for re-registration. Thus, it will become impossible to register a stolen car in another EU country.
• No new European number plate: Car registration and number plates remain national.
• Registration and circulation taxes: This proposal does not affect registration and circulation taxes.
• Not any wreck on 4 wheels can be registered: When registration authorities have doubt about the roadworthiness of the vehicle, they are fully entitled to refuse the registration and to send the vehicle to a technical inspection station.
• Roadworthiness test for cars from another EU country: If a national rule says that a roadworthiness test is obligatory for the sale of a car, that roadworthiness test will also be obligatory for cars coming from another EU country. However, registration authorities must still take into account the roadworthiness tests made in another EU country.

Candles at Easter....

From a comment I put on Facebook a few people asked me what I was referring to when I stated I could not accept Easter Candles in Greece being sold with "Barbie-Power Rangers-Cowboys & Indians" designs on them alongside the tradition Easter Candle for the transfer of the Holy Fire........

Let me explain what goes on Saturday night into Easter Sunday

The Church service starts at 11 p.m. The church is dark and no light is turned on. The darkness represents the darkness of the tomb. The faithful bring or buy large Easter Candles and hold them in their hands without lighting the. 

A few minutes before mid night the priest comes out of the Altar and holding a large lit candle and sings:

"Come receive the light from the unwinding light and glorify the resurrected Lord".

Everybody approaches the priest with their candles to receive the light and go outside. A big procession led by the Resurrection Banner goes out of the Church to a make shift stand. There the Gospel depicting the Resurrection is read and the Hymn of Resurrection is chanted 12 times:

"Christ is Risen from the death trampling death by death, He has bestowed life to those in the tombs".

While this hymn is chanted everybody embraces each other and says "Christ is Risen" and the other party responds "Truly He is Risen". 

The procession returns with Easter hymns to the Church, where the matins and the Pascal Divine Liturgy is celebrated with every body holding the light of Resurrection in their hands.Those who are prepared receive Holy Communion around 1.30 a.m. and before the conclusion the priest reads a special prayer for the eggs, milk and baked lamb.

The Homily of  Resurrection of St John of Chrysostomis is read and the priest distributes red eggs.

People take their candles and bring them to their home without dying them out. At the top of their door with the flame of the candle they make the sign of the Cross, as a sign of protection and blessing of the Risen Lord. 

Then they take the candle and put it on the Dinner table where they have a soup called magheiritsa, look at the recipes, or hot milk with the Easter tsoureki and crash eggs with each other saying Christ is Risen Truly is Risen.

Some families at 2 a.m. have full dinner. If somebody who has fasted for a long time it will be wise to eat Easter cake with hot milk and then have a rich Festal dinner the next day, which is Easter Sunday.