19-06-06 France Adopts Rules to Deal With the Replacement of Analogue Tachographs by Digital Ones
France has adopted a set of national rules to deal with the replacement of analogue tachographs by digital ones, by making distinctions between dates at which vehicles were registered. This means that France will take into consideration the age of the vehicle and the technical difficulties to be encountered as well as the financial cost associated with such activity.
However, these rules will not apply to vehicles registered outside France.
We have been informed that French control officers have been instructed not to apply these provisions to vehicles registered abroad, and there will be no requirement when, in cases of roadside check (tachograph offences, breakdown, etc), for such vehicles to be brought to approved French workshop for their tachograph to be replaced if they are fitted with analogue tachographs, and such fitments took place prior to the mandatory date for digital tachographs (ie, 1st May 2006).
Any vehicle which is registered in any country other than France, and equipped with an analogue tachograph may continue to use Article 16 of Regulation 3821/85, which allows them one week to return to their base to get the tachograph fitted, or if that is not possible, to get the equipment repaired en route.
The rules that the French authorities have adopted are supposed to be applied only to vehicles registered in France. However, if any driver or transport operator, or any other UK stakeholder encounters difficulties or problems, they should notify us immediately.
Contact Andrew Kelly at the Department for Transport: 0207 9442764; Andrew.Kelly@dft.gsi.gov.uk .
Page last updated: 03/10/2006