Transport ministers from the 27 EU member states called for further measures against mileage falsification on Thursday, although they strongly opposed the European Commission's proposal to make annual technical inspections mandatory for cars and vans older than 10 years.
EU states demand measures against mileage falsification. Archive photo
Currently, these vehicles are subject to mandatory inspections once every two years in the EU, and some countries, such as France and Germany, impose the same rule on cars over four years old.
To strengthen road safety and combat pollution caused by cars, Brussels proposed in April to switch to a mandatory annual check system as part of a review of regulations dating back to 2014.
However, the transport ministers of the member countries, gathered in Brussels, opposed the requirement for the annual ITP, pleading for the maintenance of the current system (inspections every two years), in particular to avoid “imposing additional costs on vehicle owners”, according to a press release from the EU Council.
Instead, the ministers approved, partially, other proposals of the European Commission, such as the implementation of new methods for monitoring the emissions of nitrogen oxides and suspended particles, as well as measures against mileage manipulation. These decisions are not legally binding. They require the approval of the European Parliament, which has not yet adopted its position on the Commission's proposals.
In the event of a disagreement between the 27 member states and MEPs, they will have to negotiate to find a compromise.
According to the European executive, around 19,800 people were killed in road accidents across the continent last year.
A low mileage may suggest that the odometer readings have been altered
Vehicles in Romania, which have been verified through the carVertical platform, usually travel an average of 20,338 km per year. Therefore, in 5 years a car travels on average more than 100,000 kilometers. If a used car's mileage is lower than average, this could indicate that the seller has tampered with the odometer to sell the vehicle at a higher price.
To better understand the needs and challenges faced by professionals in the automotive industry, carVertical conducted a survey between June and August 2025 of 86 dealers and partners operating in key EU markets, including Romania. The study provides an up-to-date overview of adopted practices, risk perception and the role of historical reporting in improving business performance.
Imports: As the value increases, so do the risks
Research shows that 50% of dealers import vehicles from abroad. Although imports offer attractive margins, they also involve significant risks. As there is no common European vehicle register, many vehicles move from one country to another with incomplete or unclear documents. What is the result? A significant increase in the risk of coming across used cars that have been involved in accidents, that have been modified or that have had their mileage rolled back.
According to the study, in Romania, the probability of purchasing a vehicle with a falsified mileage is 1.5 times higher for imported cars than for local ones. This means that every import needs a lot of attention: a car in bad condition can not only cause financial losses, but also damage the dealer's reputation.
However, positive signals are coming from Romania: 87.5% of the dealers who import vehicles state that they check the history of each car purchased. Awareness of the risks is therefore increasing, as is the spread of proactive measures to ensure higher standards of quality and transparency.
The study also shows that the most disciplined dealers are those specializing in premium vehicles or those selling models with a high market value. In this segment, 80% of dealers inspect every vehicle, the highest inspection rate of any segment. The level of caution is so high because a car costing tens of thousands of euros can hide expensive damage, improper repairs or be the object of theft. For buyers, turning to operators who carry out thorough checks means, first of all, minimizing the risk of unpleasant surprises. Moreover, they also benefit from the certainty that they have purchased a car whose history is certified.
Even the newest cars can hide problems
Mileage data shows that dealers clearly prefer cars with higher mileage: 31.3% focus on vehicles with more than 150,000 km. This percentage is surprising considering that in many other countries cars with lower mileage of up to 100,000 km are preferred. Unfortunately, some mistaken assumptions have arisen among buyers regarding the issue of mileage. Many drivers believe that newer cars are automatically safer and do not come with many risks, but this is not always true. The “risk-free new car” myth plays into the favor of scammers who modify vehicles that are only 3-5 years old to run up the mileage or hide previous damage.
A recent analysis reveals that even very new cars are not immune to scammers: 1.7% of vehicles manufactured in 2021 had modified mileage, 1.3% of those with a 2022 production year and 1.5% for 2023.
The mileage of newer cars is run with high values: the 2020 models “lost” on average 73,000 km from the odometer, those from 2021 – 83,000 km, those from 2022 – 29,800 km and those from 2023 – 35,200 km. Of all vehicles produced in 2021 that were checked, 45.3% had been damaged in the past, 45.4% of those from 2022 and 51.8% of those from 2023. The amount of damage to newer cars is significantly higher due to expensive parts and advanced technologies.
These figures confirm how important it is to check the history of a car, regardless of its age.
“Many buyers still assume that newer cars are automatically safer, but that's not always true – we've seen plenty of near-new models that had hidden damage or mileage set back. It's heartening that awareness of the risk associated with newer models is definitely growing. More and more customers are now asking for a history report upfront, and that's a great sign – it shows that people are starting to understand that by and a 3-year-old car may have a history worth checking“, explains car dealer Cristian Preoteasa.
