Finland Times

The safety agency is also considering whether the gap between the inspection periods could be longer.

Trafi Director Marko Sillanpää revealed the plan during an interview with the national broadcaster Yle.

The Finnish Central Organisation for Motor Trades and Repairs-AKL was surprised at the revelation, since according to the association no dialogue had taken place.

“One might ask whether it is the right way for officials to throw around these things without carrying out investigation,” remarked AKL Managing Director Pekka Rissa to the news agency STT.

The vehicle inspection legislation was updated last year easing the process of obtaining the vehicle inspection licence.

Now Trafi is pondering whether there is any need for a separate inspection at all.

“Cars are inspected more frequently in Finland than what the EU directive requires. Now it is being assessed whether it is justified. It increases the number of inspections and causes the customers to incur more costs,” Sillanpää told STT.

The EU directive requires the first inspection after four years, after which inspection is to be carried out after every two years.

In Finland, a vehicle is inspected first after three years, then after two years, and next every year.

AKL, however, justified the frequency of inspections, pointing out that Finland’s car fleet is the oldest in Western Europe.