Regulations governing type-approvals

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency operates in Finland as the issuing body for type-approvals in road traffic in accordance with section 42 of the Vehicles Act (82/2021).

EU and EC type-approvals are granted for entire vehicles and for certain vehicle components and separate technical units. The jurisdiction of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency also includes operating as the type-approval market surveillance authority for internal combustion engines intended for use in non-road mobile machinery, provided that the engines fall within the scope of EU Regulation 2016/1628.

The market supply or introduction of products that have received EU or EC type-approval may not be denied in any EU country. Besides EU countries, EU and EC approvals are also recognised in a number of other countries, such as Switzerland and Norway.

• As of 1 September 2020, EU type-approvals for category M, N and O vehicles are granted on the basis of Framework Regulation (EU) 2018/858. The Framework Regulation also states the technical requirements to be applied to the components and technical systems installed in these vehicles.

• Amendments of type-approvals for category M, N and O vehicles granted based on Framework Directive 2007/46/EC may still be applied for after the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2018/858. No deadline has been set for the first entry into service of vehicles approved on the basis of the Framework Directive, assuming that they meet the technical requirements in force at the time of their entry into service.

• Type-approvals for category T, C, R and S vehicles are granted based on EU Regulation No 167/2013. Based on this regulation, referred to as the Tractor Framework Regulation, delegated regulations have been issued which provide more detailed requirements which must be fulfilled for vehicle components and systems. Separate type-approvals can also be granted for components and systems that fulfil the requirements of delegated regulations. In such cases, the conformity of these components and systems does not need to be demonstrated again when they are installed into a vehicle representing a different type.

• Type-approvals for category L vehicles are granted based on EU Regulation No 168/2013. Based on this regulation, referred to as the L Framework Regulation, delegated regulations have been issued which provide more detailed requirements which must be fulfilled for vehicle components and systems. Separate type-approvals can also be granted for components and systems that fulfil the requirements of delegated regulations. In such cases, the conformity of these components and systems does not need to be demonstrated again when they are installed into a vehicle representing a different type.

• Type-approvals related to gaseous and particulate pollutant emissions of internal combustion engines intended for use in non-road mobile machinery are granted based on EU Regulation 2016/1628.

A UNECE type-approval means approval which is granted in accordance with the regulations of the Agreement Concerning the Adoption of Uniform Technical Prescriptions for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and Parts which can be Fitted and/or be used on Wheeled Vehicles and the Conditions for Reciprocal Recognition of Approvals Granted on the Basis of these Prescriptions, which was signed in Geneva on 20 March 1958 (SopS 70/1976).

Each new regulation comes into force for all those parties that have reported their approval of the regulation to the UN Secretary-General.

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency grants type-approvals based on national legislation for certain vehicles and vehicle components for which there is no harmonised international legislation. These include vehicles such as mobile machinery and off-road vehicles that are registered for road use and vehicle components such as studs used on vehicle tyres, tyre-stud combinations and alcohol interlocks.

• A vehicle can receive national type-approval as mobile machinery if it fulfils the definition of mobile machinery as stated in section 23 of the Vehicles Act. Mobile machinery submitted for type-approval must fulfil the technical requirements for machinery issued by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency regarding the structure and equipment of tractors, mobile machinery and off-road vehicles, their trailers, towed devices designed to be connected to vehicles other than cars, and vehicles drawn by animals.

• A vehicle can receive national type-approval as an off-road vehicle if it fulfils the definition of an off-road vehicle as stated in section 24 of the Vehicles Act. An off-road vehicle submitted for type-approval must fulfil the off-road vehicle technical requirements issued by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency regarding the structure and equipment of tractors, mobile machinery and off-road vehicles, their trailers, towed devices designed to be connected to vehicles other than cars, and vehicles drawn by animals. In practice, off-road vehicle type-approvals are granted only to snowmobiles, since they have not been granted exemption from the registration obligation under section 89 a of the Vehicles Act.

• he Finnish Transport and Communications Agency’s Regulation on technical requirements for and type-approval of studded tyres for vehicles TRAFICOM/383441/03.04.03.00/2022 stipulates the requirements for the studs on tyres. When vehicles use studded tyres on roads, the studs must be type-approved. A studded tyre does not require a separate type-approval if it uses type-approved studs and the quantity of studs is less than 50 per metre of tyre rolling circumference. If the number of studs per metre of tyre rolling circumference is greater than 50, or if the other requirements stipulated in the Decree for the studs are not complied with, national type-approval can be applied for in respect of the tyre-stud combination on the basis of the amount of wear it causes on the road surface. In such a case the stud itself does not have to be a type-approved model, but the combination must comply with the conditions laid down in the Regulation TRAFICOM/383441/03.04.03.00/2022.

• Supplying alcohol interlocks to the market or taking them into use in road traffic is prohibited unless the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency has approved the alcohol interlock model in question. Alcohol interlocks must fulfil the technical requirements laid down in the Alcohol Interlock Act 730/2016. In contrast to other technical type-approvals for vehicles, there are no requirements for the monitoring of conformity of production for alcohol interlocks.

• If desired, camel-back manufacturers may submit to the Type Approval unit of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency the necessary documents outlined in UNECE regulation 109 regarding the right to use the 3PMSF Mark (3-peak-mountain with snowflake) made possible by amendment 7 to the regulation. For the tread patterns submitted in this way, the retreader does not need to request for themselves the documents mentioned in UNECE regulation 109. When using a tread pattern for which the data is not found on this page, the retreader must acquire from the camel-back manufacturer the tread pattern 3PMSF mark documents mentioned below and archive them. The documents required for demonstrating the right to use the 3PMSF Mark with a camel-back pattern:
  • Type-approval for the original tyre with the tread pattern, in accordance with UNECE regulation 117, or a test report in accordance with appendix 10 of UNECE regulation 109 for tread patterns which do not have an equivalent new tyre with the same model
  • A copy of the test report in which it is clear that the tread pattern fulfils the snow grip requirements set for the 3PMSF mark
  • A drawing of the tread pattern

Together with the documents, the camel-back manufacturer must provide a list of the tread patterns and their measurements for those models which the manufacturer considers to fulfil the requirements of UNECE Regulation 109 for the 3PMSF mark. These camel-backs are available on page Type-approvals granted and recognised by Finland.

National small series type-approvals relate to the procedure outlined in Framework directive 2007/46/EC and Framework Regulations (EU) N:o 167/2013, (EU) N:o 168/2013 and (EU) 2018/858 for granting type-approval to a new vehicle of which only a limited quantity will be produced. For national small series type-approvals, there is the possibility for granting some relaxation of the technical requirements and/or means of demonstrating fulfilment of the requirements that are part of normal EU type-approvals.  National small series type-approval is an alternative to EU type-approval of the whole vehicle if EU-approved vehicles are modified in Finland and it is not expedient to apply for a new EU approval for the modified vehicles. A national small series is a noteworthy, cost-effective option for vehicle production for vehicle producers that are just starting out. Requests can be made for the recognition of a national small series in other EU countries as well, and this request for recognition cannot be refused provided that the small series has not been granted exemptions from the requirements which in the other country are not permitted for vehicles intended for use on the road.

A national small series is a noteworthy, cost-effective option for vehicle production for vehicle producers that are just starting out. Requests can be made for the recognition of a national small series in other EU countries as well, and this request for recognition cannot be refused provided that the small series has not been granted exemptions from the requirements which in the other country are not permitted for vehicles intended for use on the road.

National small series type-approvals granted on the basis of Framework Directive 2007/46/EC remain valid following the entry into force of Framework Regulation (EU) 2018/858 on 1 September 2020. No deadline has been set for the first entry into service of vehicles thus approved, assuming that they meet the technical requirements in force at the time of their entry into service.

• for the M, N and O categories, the technical requirements and means of demonstrating fulfilment of the requirements are available in the following Finnish Transport Safety Agency (currently Traficom) regulation of 15 June 2018: TRAFI/437519/03.04.03.00/2017 Technical requirements for cars and their trailers

• for the L categories, the technical requirements and means of demonstrating fulfilment of the requirements can be found in the following Finnish Transport Safety Agency (currently Traficom) regulation of 5 October 2018: TRAFI/147282/03.04.03.00/2018 Structure and equipment of two- and three-wheeled vehicles, quadricycles, their trailers and light electric vehicles.

• for the T categories, the exceptions have not been separately defined.