Market surveillance and research on road vehicles and related components

Endorsing safe and clean road vehicles in the EU

Market surveillance

In the context of the EU Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of vehicles and components (2018/858), the JRC implements the legal obligations of the Commission related to vehicle market surveillance. 

Each year, the JRC tests the compliance of road vehicles taken from the market against legal requirements and assesses emissions through in-house testing, performed both on road and in the JRC VELA laboratories. 

The JRC also evaluates several safety-related aspects. These include systems and components such as brakes, tyres, safety belts and software functions such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and automated driving functions.

Pre-normative research

The JRC assesses whether legal requirements remain fit-for-purpose in the light of the technological evolution of vehicles. It also evaluates requirements’ adequacy to real-world driving conditions. 

The JRC’s scientists and technicians also evaluate established technological approaches to testing that go beyond regulatory requirements. They test vehicle performance under everyday conditions, rather than relying on laboratory environments that are perfectly repeatable and controllable but often far removed from reality. This ensures that regulatory limits are not merely a legal formality but provide genuine protection in everyday, real-life situations.

Also, new technology such as software-based driving assistance functions is being tested to develop fair and representative testing methods for future regulations. This research provides essential scientific support to Directorates-General (DGs) of the European Commission in the preparation of regulatory amendments and new legislation on the safety and sustainability of road vehicles.

Assessment of Type Approval Authorities

Since 2025, the JRC has been carrying out the assessment of EU National Authorities granting type approvals for vehicles (GTAA), as required by the Regulation. The JRC undertakes regular assessments of the type-approval procedures set up by the GTAAs in Europe to harmonize the implementation and enforcement of the relevant environmental and safety regulations. 

The findings are discussed between the Commission and Member States’ representatives in the Forum for Exchange and Information on Enforcement and are translated into non-binding recommendations.

Impact and results

The JRC actively contributed to several regulatory amendments, such as:

• Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) (UNECE Regulations 131 and 152): tested whether their technical behavior of AEBSs does not unreasonably change under non-regulated conditions;
• Tyres (UNECE Regulation 117): carried out studies on wet-grip tests for tyres, contributing to discussions about the required minimum performance of tyres on wet roads throughout their lifetime.
• Electromagnetic emissions of vehicles: studied mostly electric vehicles in various driving conditions, contributing to updates of regulatory tests (UNECE Regulation 10).
• Pre-regulatory research: contributed to the development of Regulation (EU) 2024/1257 on type-approval of EURO 7 motor vehicles and engines, including On-Board Monitoring systems (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1707), exhaust and evaporative emission (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1706) and brake emissions (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1762).
• Vehicle type-approval procedures: performs an assessment of EU National Granting Type Approval Authorities for the harmonization of vehicle type-approval procedures across the EU.

Policy background

The work of the JRC supports the Commission’s obligation in the field of market surveillance of vehicles under Regulations (EU) 2018/858 and 2018/1832. The legislation coordinates enforcement, information exchange and Union‑wide testing to improve transparency, strengthen consumer confidence and prevent non-compliant vehicles from circulating within the internal market. This safeguards consumers, competition, health and the environment.

The JRC work also contributes to

• Vision Zero: Testing of vehicle safety systems and identification of safety non-compliances.
• Single Market: Harmonized testing methodologies and interpretation
• Consumer protection: Verification of compliance of vehicles and components with environmental and safety requirements.
• Green Deal: Support for safe deployment of zero-emission vehicles
• Cooperative, Connected and Automated Mobility (CCAM) Strategy: Independent research on performance and safety metrics of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADS) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
• Industrial strategy: Ensuring fair competition through compliance enforcement.