Motor vehicles and trailers: recognition of the distinguishing sign of the Member state of registration

Commissioner Kinnock stated that the proposal did not mean that Member States would have to provide number plates which incorporated the symbol of the European Union nor that all vehicles would have to show the symbol of the country of registration. He explained that the aim of the proposal was simply to ensure that, where the rear number plate on a vehicle showed the distinguishing sign of the Member State of registration on the background of the Community symbol, this distinguishing sign would be recognised by the other Member States as a valid identification of the country of registration, without further need for the vehicle to show any other sign (in particular the elliptic sticker specified by the Vienna Convention). Mr Kinnock said that Amendments Nos 4 to 7 could not be accepted as they did not meet the need to lay down technical specifications with sufficient detail to achieve mutual recognition. He also rejected Amendment No 8 because the new regulation, once adopted, would be automatically applicable in the European Economic Area.