Approval and market surveillance of non-road mobile machinery circulating on public roads

PURPOSE: to establish technical requirements, administrative requirements and harmonised procedures for the type-approval of new non-road mobile machinery circulating on public roads, as well as rules and procedures for the market surveillance of such machinery.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2025/14 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approval and market surveillance of non-road mobile machinery circulating on public roads and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1020.

CONTENT: this regulation lays down:

- technical requirements, administrative requirements and procedures, for the EU type-approval and EU individual approval, and placing on the market of all new non-road mobile machinery intended to circulate on public roads;

- rules and procedures for the market surveillance of the non-road mobile machinery.

Scope

The regulation creates harmonised road safety requirements for the circulation of self-propelled machinery (e.g. lawn mowers, harvesters or bulldozers) that needs to circulate on public roads and which, up to now, has been regulated by the Member States.

The regulation creates a new category of vehicles (category U) for non-road mobile machinery, which will be added to the existing categories of vehicles. It also clarifies the different variants and types that will come under this new category, depending on criteria such as essential construction and design characteristics.

This regulation does not apply to the following: (a) non-road mobile machinery with a maximum design speed exceeding 40 km/h; (b) non-road mobile machinery with a maximum design speed not exceeding 6 km/h; (c) non-road mobile machinery equipped with more than three seating positions, including the driver’s seating position; (d) non-road mobile machinery that was placed on the market, registered or entered into service before 29 January 2028.

The manufacturer may decide to apply for the EU type-approval, to apply for the EU individual approval or to comply with the relevant national law, where appropriate:

- non-road mobile machinery where the number of units per type does not exceed 70 per year and in each Member State;

- prototypes of non-road mobile machinery intended to be used on the road under the responsibility of the manufacturer to carry out specific development test programmes or field tests, if they have been specifically designed and constructed for that purpose;

- non-road mobile machinery designed and constructed for use principally in quarries, ports or airport facilities;

- vehicles designed and constructed or adapted for use by civil protection, fire services and forces responsible for maintaining public order.

Type approval procedure

The regulation simplifies the procedures for all actors. Manufacturers and distributors of non-road mobile machinery will only have to request road approval once, in one EU country, for the machinery to be accepted for road use in all EU countries. Users (e.g. rental companies) will benefit from a reduction in the compliance costs, and it will be easier for them to use and re-sell machinery across intra-EU borders. Drivers, in turn, will benefit from harmonised rules that ensure a high level of road safety across the EU.

The regulation proposes a simplified one-step procedure that takes into account the specific characteristics of non-road mobile machinery. It also establishes more effective market surveillance: it provides for clear procedures, including safeguard measures against non-compliant machinery, that are aligned with those used in the wider EU legislative framework on products.

Obligations of Member States

Member States will establish or appoint the authorities competent in matters concerning approval and market surveillance in accordance with this Regulation. They will only permit the making available on the market, registration, entry into service or circulation on public roads of non-road mobile machinery that complies with this Regulation.

Member States may limit or prohibit the circulation on public roads or the registration of certain non-road mobile machinery which satisfies any of the following criteria:

- due to its excessive dimensions, the machinery would not allow for sufficient manoeuvrability on public roads;

- due to its excessive mass, axle loads or ground contact pressure, the machinery could damage the surface of public roads or other road infrastructure;

- due to its fully automated, or remotely operated, driving system for on-road use, the machinery is subject to restrictions under national traffic law.

Technical requirements

Non-road mobile machinery will be designed, constructed and assembled in such a way as to minimise the risk of injury to occupants and other persons, and the risk of damage to road infrastructure, in the machinery’s surrounding area, while that non-road mobile machinery is circulating on a public road. The Commission may adopt delegated acts concerning the establishment of detailed rules on requirements concerning elements such as the integrity of the vehicle structure, maximum design speed, braking devices, field of vision or tyres.

Certificate of conformity

The manufacturer will issue a certificate of conformity to accompany each non-road mobile machinery that is manufactured in conformity with the EU type-approved non-road mobile machinery.

Lastly, Member States will have to determine the system of penalties applicable to infringements of the Regulation and take all necessary measures to ensure that the penalties are implemented.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 28.1.2025.

APPLICATION: from 29.1.2028.