Europe pulls the trigger against classics, this is the only way to avoid scrapping
Do you have a classic car? This is of interest to you, because Europe has already resolved part of the important dilemma it faced after announcing its new recycling law. Some historic cars are moving away from scrapping, although not entirely.
At the end of 2023, the European Union is once again getting into an important mess by presenting its new law regulating car recycling. A few months earlier, it had already stirred things up by trying to make brands the ones to decide whether to send a car to the scrapyard or not.
Now, they have returned with one of the appendices of this law that is most concerning, the future of classic cars. Historical gems that are being further suffocated by adding more pressure than they already had with a theoretical prohibition on circulating in cities due to their high emissions.
For Europe, even classic cars are surplus
With all the obstacles being put in the way, owners and lovers of classics can only think that there is a sector that wants to send them to the scrapyard regardless of other factors. For example, the stories behind them, more or less sentimental, and of which few want to part with.
European parliamentarians know that no one can take away the right of ownership from an owner, which is why they relied on brands and dealers to determine this. A move that backfired, and they are obliged to respect as it is a fundamental right.
Europe involves ITV to scrap classics
Since attacking property is unfeasible, Europe has found a way to prevent vehicles considered junk from being abandoned in sheds, garages, or dealerships. Brussels has developed a directive on end-of-life vehicles (ELV).
The basic principle is that vehicles that do not pass inspection must be classified as end-of-life vehicles and, therefore, as waste that must be scrapped.
The problem is that many of these classics do not pass the technical inspection because they are in the middle of a restoration process, which would be a reason to send them to the scrapyard. The regulation will establish an exception for historic and collectible cars, although to benefit from this exception, which will be temporary, it must be stated in the vehicle documentation that it has a "historical and cultural value".
