French Supreme Court upholds motorcycle technical inspections

Earlier this month, the French Conseil d’État upheld France’s mandatory technical inspections for two-wheeled vehicles, which have been required since last year, rejecting a legal challenge from the Fédération française des motards en colère (FFMC) – an organisation representing some French motorcyclists. The FFMC had called for a boycott of inspections and sought to annul the decision to require them. However, the court ruled that alternative safety measures initially proposed by the French government were insufficient. As a result, the court upheld its previous decision to mandate inspections for two-wheeled vehicles.

Statistics on the motorcycles already inspected in France have revealed significant safety concerns, with nearly half of the vehicles checked having defects, and over 11% posing serious safety risks, according to the government.

ETSC reported last December that the Portuguese government has postponed introduction of regular technical checks for motorcycles until January 2026, and is set to cancel the programme entirely subject to its own set of ‘alternative measures’ being approved.

An EU law agreed in 2013 gave Member States until 2022 to introduce periodic technical inspections (PTI) for motorcycles, but contained vague language that allowed for exemptions for the category if ‘alternative road safety measures’ were put in place.  ETSC was critical of the exemption at the time.  Any Member State that wishes to use the ‘alternative measures’ path must seek approval from the European Commission.  

Despite years of preparation, and substantial investment by testing centres in order to check motorcycles, the Portuguese government decided motorcycles will not be subject to any regular technical checks.  Instead, the government is seeking approval for a set of infrastructure and other changes that it says will improve motorcycle safety – including special signage and removing speed bumps on bends. 

The European Commission was expected to propose new legislation on periodic technical inspections for motor vehicles back in 2023.  The plans were delayed, and are now expected later this year.  In 2021, the European Parliament called for periodic technical inspections to be required for all motorcycles, with extra checks for high-mileage vehicles such as those used for food deliveries.