L-Ewroparlamentari Daniel Attard ippreżenta emendi għall-proposta tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea dwar ir-riforma tat-testijiet tal-VRT tal-vetturi, bil-għan li jipproteġi liċ-ċittadini, lill-ħaddiema self-employed u lill-intrapriżi żgħar u medji minn regoli sproporzjonati u inflessibbli. Attard, li huwa membru sħiħ tal-Kumitat tat-Trasport u t-Turiżmu (TRAN) tal-Parlament Ewropew, sostna li filwaqt li huma meħtieġa standards għoljin ta’ sigurtà fit-toroq u protezzjoni ambjentali, il-qafas propost ma jirriflettix kif il-vetturi jintużaw fil-prattika f’diversi Stati Membri, b’mod partikolari f’pajjiżi żgħar bħalma hi Malta.
L-emendi tiegħu kienu mmirati biex jiġu rikonoxxuti vetturi klassiċi, antiki, sportivi u vetturi oħra li ma jinstaqux fit-toroq b’mod regolari bħall-kumplament tal-vetturi l-oħra u li għalhekk jinstaqsu għal ferm inqas kilometri. L-argument ta’ Attard huwa li għaldaqstant dawn m’għandhomx jiġu rregolati bl-istess mod bħalma huwa propost li jiġu rregolati vetturi li jintużaw kuljum.
Attard indirizza wkoll bidliet proposti li jaffettwaw vetturi kummerċjali, u argumenta li testijiet annwali uniformi ma jqisux id-distanza, l-istandards tal-emissjonijiet Ewropej u r-realtajiet territorjali. Huwa wissa li ħaddiema self-employed u SMEs se jkunu penalizzati b’mod inġust minn regoli li ma jiddistingwux bejn użu intensiv u użu limitat tal-vetturi.
L-emendi ta’ Attard qed jipproponu approċċ ibbażat fuq ir-riskju u fuq id-distanzi li jagħmlu l-karozzi, filwaqt li qed iżommu b’saħħithom is-salvagwardji ta’ sigurtà u protezzjoni ambjentali, u fl-istess ħin jipproteġu liċ-ċittadini u jappoġġjaw l-attività ekonomika lokali. Dawn għalhekk jirriflettu l-prinċipju li jiggwida l-ħidma Parlamentari kollha ta’ Daniel Attard li huwa; filwaqt li l-Ewropa għandha tqis lil kulħadd indaqs, għaliex Malta m’għandha xejn inqas minn Stati Membri oħra, din m’għandha qatt tpoġġi lil kulħadd fl-istess keffa, u għandha tqis ir-realtajiet differenti ta’ gżiritna.
MEP Daniel Attard tables amendments to protect citizens, the self-employed and SMEs
MEP Daniel Attard tabled amendments to the European Commission’s proposal on the reform of vehicle VRT testing, aimed at protecting citizens, the self-employed and small and medium-sized enterprises from disproportionate and inflexible rules. Attard, who is a full member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), stressed that while high standards of road safety and environmental protection are essential, the proposed framework failed to reflect how vehicles are actually used across different Member States, particularly in smaller countries such as Malta.
His amendments were aimed at recognising classic, historic, sports and other vehicles that are not used regularly on the road and therefore cover significantly lower mileage than most vehicles. Attard argued that such vehicles should not be regulated in the same way as vehicles that are used daily and intensively.
Attard also addressed proposed changes affecting commercial vehicles, arguing that uniform annual testing requirements failed to take into account distance travelled, Euro emission standards and territorial realities. He warned that self-employed workers and SMEs would be unfairly penalised by rules that did not distinguish between intensive and limited vehicle use.
Overall, Attard’s amendments proposed a risk-based and distance-based approach, maintaining strong road safety and environmental safeguards while protecting citizens and supporting local economic activity. They reflect a guiding principle of Attard’s parliamentary work: while Europe must treat all Member States equally, and Malta is no less than any other, EU policy must not apply one-size-fits-all solutions and must take into account the specific realities of island states.