KEYSTONE Project Welcomes EU Proposal to Update Roadside Inspections and Vehicle Test
Roadside inspections have always been a critical part of traffic management departments around the globe, and research on related topics has been an ongoing process. Stricter controls aim to reduce the number of incidents on the roads and streets and can save lives. But are the rules applied today sufficient to protect, and are they aligned with the vast integration of technical developments? The answer we receive from Europe is no.
As a result, the European Commission (EC) is now working on significant changes to the EU regulations on road safety and vehicle registration. On 24 April 2025, the EC proposed a number of steps, considering the growing presence of electric vehicles and the digitisation wave across Europe. The new proposals aim to bring legislation up to date and align it with the current context and the growing demand for lower emissions, better air quality, and sustainability.
The last revision of roadside inspections legislation took place a decade ago and no longer reflects today’s needs. Digitisation - a word that in recent years appears prominently - has gained ground and underlined the need for efficient, resilient, safe, and harmonised procedures. It emphasises the need for creating a digital ecosystem where cross-border data exchange can take place seamlessly, contributing to a smarter, safer, and greener future for transport and logistics in Europe.
The European Commissioner for Transport, Mr Apostolos Tzitzikostas, recognised the importance of digitisation and modernising the European transport system: a transport system that can support the competitiveness of our businesses and the connectivity of our citizens, while respecting climate and environmental goals. He stated:
“The EU is firmly committed to cutting road fatalities and serious injuries by 50% by 2030. Today’s initiative marks a major step forward in making our roads safer, our air cleaner and making citizen’s life easier. By modernising our roadworthiness rules we are harnessing the latest technology, strengthening enforcement, and ensuring they keep pace with the evolving realities of mobility.”
KEYSTONE, an EU-funded project that started in June 2023 and ends in May 2026, aims to contribute to this digitisation wave through the development of a web-based application that facilitates cross-border logistics compliance. The web-app is focused on involving both logistics and transport operators, as well as enforcement authorities, in the critical areas of border crossing.
In the first year of the project, the main gaps between stakeholder needs and challenges were identified. Best practices were also gathered to support the KEYSTONE project partners in building a web app that meets the needs of both operators and transport authorities.
Currently, KEYSTONE project partners are working towards the evaluation of the web-app, which will take place in two different scenarios, from June to November 2025:
a) a road transport scenario, from the Port of La Spezia, conducted by Gruber Logistics;
b) an intermodal transport scenario, covering the transport path from Rotterdam to Novara, conducted by freight terminal operator CIM - Interporto di Novara.
The deliverable D4.1 – Process and Procedures Report Based on the Concrete Use Cases, drafted within the project, outlines the findings of Task 4.1 under Work Package 4 (WP4) "Piloting", which focuses on developing and implementing demonstration scenarios. It evaluates the existing enforcement procedures and the operational feasibility of the pilots for law enforcement authorities, as well as the needs and requirements of those authorities. It presents in detail the results of a second survey that has been launched, under the title “Enforcement Authority Feedback Survey”, aiming to identify key needs and obstacles that currently impact the work of enforcement personnel (road police, customs officials, financial police, ministries, or other public entities) in logistics inspections. The survey received 34 responses from 22 countries.
Although most responses present the common use of multiple Digital platforms, enforcement is hindered by system fragmentation, varied levels of access, and inconsistent response times. Many delays in document retrieval were reported, including a lack of real-time data, limited cross-border access to key registers, a lack of harmonisation in data formats across Member States and insufficient training on digital enforcement tools. As reported by responders, most enforcement bodies use multiple, non-integrated platforms such as TACHOnet, IMI, and ERRU, with only a minority accessing eFTI systems.
Drawing from the survey results, there is an urgent need for seamless interoperability, real-time access to transport data, standardised digital tools and strengthened cross-border cooperation. The KEYSTONE web-app, currently in development, responds to these needs by offering a centralised, multilingual, and mobile-accessible solution that will enhance enforcement efficiency, ensure data integrity, and strengthen cooperation between countries.
In this context, KEYSTONE represents a major opportunity for both transport and logistics operators and enforcement authorities as it enhances transparency, ensures safe, secure and fast data exchange in critical points, such as border crossings.
Read the full D4.1 – Process and Procedures Report Based on the Concrete Use Cases for more information.
Authors: Eftychia Koliou (Smart Transportation Alliance - STA), Lourdes Dìaz (Spanish Road Association - AEC)