Terminology

eCoC = certificate of conformity in electronic format = IVI = Initial Vehicle Information.

Initial Vehicle Information denotes the first data set available for a vehicle (after being produced). The initial data set does not change.

Subsequent datasets (with possible modifications) are denoted as Actual Vehicle Information (AVI).

Legal base

  1. Regulation (EU) 2018/858 on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.

Specifically art. 37, but also art. 12, 36.

  1. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/133 laying down rules on the basic format, structure and the means of exchange of the data of the certificate of conformity in electronic format
  2. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1061 laying down rules on the secure exchange of data and read-only access

Legal obligations and optional features

From the legislation, the following obligations can be derived:

For the manufacturer, Art 37.1:

Without prejudice to Article 36(1), from 5 July 2026, the manufacturer shall, free of charge and without undue delay after the date of manufacture of the vehicle, make the certificate of conformity available to the approval authority that has granted the whole-vehicle type-approval as structured data in electronic format in accordance with the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 8 of this Article.

Specific provision, 2021/133 Art. 1(1)

The manufacturer makes available the eCoC using any national access point.

So, the manufacturer has a free choice between national access points. The approval authority shall be able to somehow receive eCoC from manufacturers, of all vehicles for which it has granted the whole-vehicle type approval.

Specific provision, 2021/133 Art. 1(2)

The approval authority shall use EUCARIS as the means of exchange.

Note: it is NOT mandatory for a Member State to create a national access points for manufacturers.

Exemption, 2024/1061 (amends 2021/133 Art. 3a)

Manufacturers of types of vehicles that are produced in small series, shall be able to use manual input or upload to submit an eCoC.

 

For the approval authority, Art 37.3:

The approval authority shall make available the certificate of conformity in structured data in electronic format (…), so that the certificate of conformity can be accessed by the approval authorities, market surveillance authorities and registration authorities of the Member States and by the Commission.

For the approval authority, Art. 37.5 and 12.2

The type approval authority has to provide read-only access to eCoC to the public, as well as stage manufacturers.

For Member States, Art. 37.9

Member States shall be able to exchange certificates of conformity in electronic format with other Member States.

An implication from the legislation, not explicitly stated:

Since the eCoC basically replaces the CoC in paper format, authorities that make use of CoC (in paper format now) shall be able to make use of eCoC as of 5 July 2026 ultimately. E.g. if registration authorities use paper CoC’s for licensing vehicles, they shall switch to using eCoC (or another information source).

 

From the legislation, the following optional features can be derived:

  • Provide a national access point for manufacturers
  • Manufacturers can deliver eCoC files also before 5 July 2026 (Art 37.2).

 

National access point

It is possible as a Member State, to offer a national access point to manufacturers for receiving eCoC. Currently, a national access point also means having a national database for IVI files.

It is also possible to not develop a national access point, and receive eCoC for which a type approval was granted and/or eCoC where the intended market is the Member State, via international exchange.

There is a choice between retrieving IVI files from the network and/or get files forwarded.

The implementing acts contain requirements regarding the national access point.

 

International exchange

This Powerpoint presentation outlines the IVI services implemented in EUCARIS:

IVI international exchange

 

In EUCARIS, a number of IVI services are implemented, and can be used by Member States.

For Member States without a national access point, to comply to the legislation, it is mandatory to implement at least the following services:

  • Retrieve IVI files

To be used by the approval authority and/or registration authority. Instead of retrieving IVI files it is also possible to get files forwarded.

Specifically regarding the registration authority, it is recommended for Member States to do an impact analysis to what extent paper CoCs are used, in which business process(es). Basically, the use of paper CoC will no longer be possible after 5 July 2026. As an alternative, the eCoC can be used.

Also, for any public authority that makes use of the paper CoC, it is possible to make use of the digital CoC via EUCARIS in the future. It is recommended to do an impact analysis if such authorities exist and how they should make use of a digital CoC in the future.

  • Receive correction notification

As well as a national process to assess the impact of corrections on national processes.

 

If a Member State offers a national access point, it is also mandatory to implement the following:

  • A local data service which enables foreign Member States to retrieve files from the national access point /database
  • Forward IVI files

To send IVI files from the national access point / database, to the approval authority or the intended market for registration.

  • Send correction notification

Everytime if the national access point receives an IVI file that is a correction of a previous IVI file. The correction notification is broadcast to all members of the network.

 

Specification documents

The IVI message itself is specified via a XSD, and a Message Book, which gives a description of all the message items, with references to the CoC legislation, and use, meaning, value lists etc.

The specifications are available on the EReg website (Home | EReg – Association of European Vehicle and Driver Registration Authorities).

Please visit Topic Group XII | EReg – Association of European Vehicle and Driver Registration Authorities and scroll to the bottom of the page to find, for each available IVI version:

  • XSD schema
  • Messagebook
  • Release notes
  • Excel overview

 

EUCARIS specification documents are available in the Downloads section of the EUCARIS website www.eucaris.net. An account is necessary for accessing this part of the website, and download documents. An account can be requested at eucaris2help@rdw.nl.

The XML message specification describe the available EUCARIS services. Please note that there is no EUCARIS Web Client implementation for IVI messages.

Other relevant documentation:

 

IVI versions (version 1.x and 2.x)

The current IVI version (July 2024) is 1.9. This version is backwards compatible with all previous 1.x versions that were issued, all the way back to version 1.0.

Via EReg TG XII, a new version of the IVI message will be introduced (2.0). This new version will no longer be backwards compatible, i.e. its structure is different from all 1.x versions. Future versions of the IVI message (2.x) will be backwards compatible to the 2.0 version. For a while, the 2.0 version and 1.x versions will coexist, and changes in CoC legislation will be applied in both versions.

 

For approval authorities, it will be mandatory to work with version 2.0 as of September 2025, the first moment at which manufacturers are allowed to use version 2.0 for delivering eCoC. The use of version 2.0 becomes mandatory 5 July 2026.

 

A graphical display of the timeline:

 

 

In international exchange, both versions are supported, i.e. it is possible to retrieve/forward both version 1.x as well as 2.x IVI files.  Retrieval of 1.x IVI files will be possible, also if the 2.x version is mandatory to use (because it should be possible to use IVI files issued in the past).

With the coming of IVI 2.0, EUCARIS will renew its set of IVI services. This new IVI message exchange will be a series of enveloped services. It is planned to make the set of services available in the first half of 2025, with September 2025 as the ultimate deadline for going-live.

Member States that use the current IVI services will have to upgrade to the new set of services. Intended deadline for this upgrade is 5 July 2026.

 

Access to the public and access to stage manufacturers

According to legislation, it is the responsibility of approval authorities to provide a facility that

  1. Enables ‘the public’, i.e. any natural person, to retrieve an eCoC based on VIN.
  2. Enables stage manufacturers to retrieve eCoC of the previous stage(s), based on VIN.

 

The legislation does not provide requirements for such access point. In EReg Topic Group XII, best practices will be defined. These best practices will indicate that is recommended to apply authentication, or to at least apply some measures to prevent data mining.

It is possible to use EUCARIS behind the access point, to retrieve eCoCs from abroad. EUCARIS will offer a dedicated retrieval service in the enveloped set of IVI service (not yet available yet).

 

Test with EUCOP

Prior to connecting a Member State to EUCARIS IVI services, a test by the EUCARIS Operations Team is carried out. If the test is passed, EUCARIS Operations issues a Test Summary Report with positive result. This is required for going-live.

The contents of the test depends on the services with which to go live (see also International Exchange). If a national database is to be implemented, the Local Data Service to that database will be part of the test.

It is highly recommended to use an acceptance database with fictitious test cases, however test on production is possible.

Apply for the test by sending an e-mail to eucaris2help@rdw.nl. A test analyst from the EUCARIS team will carry out the test. Detailed instructions will be provided during the test.