From 2026, the COC (Certificate of Conformity) document will be issued in electronic form in accordance with the regulations of the European Union.
The Serbian Association of Importers of Vehicles and Parts transmits the information published in the Official Gazette of the EU L151/1 of 14.6.2018, i.e. Regulation 2018/858 by which the European Parliament adopted new regulations in 2018 regarding the issuance of the COC (Certificate of Conformity) document.
Namely, the European Council and the European Parliament have changed a lot of things related to the technical specifications and characteristics of vehicles with which many manufacturers are already familiar in the voluminous document. What we are currently interested in, and will certainly be of interest to importers and buyers of vehicles in Serbia from 2026, is the provision on changing the method of issuing the COC (Certificate of Conformity) document. Currently, vehicle manufacturers issue the COC document in written form (paper), and in the future it will be issued in electronic form. This change will enter into force on July 5, 2026.
What exactly is a COC and what is that document for?
The COC document or Certificate of Conformity is a document by which the vehicle manufacturer confirms that the specific vehicle was manufactured and complied with the requirements of the European Union at the time of its production, as well as that it was manufactured in accordance with the type approval for a specific vehicle model – WVTA (Whole Vehicle Type Approval ).
This certificate is crucial for the vehicle registration process in EU member states because it confirms that the vehicle meets all relevant technical and environmental standards that were valid at the time of its production. Without a COC document, vehicle registration can be much more difficult or even impossible, since, in that case, the competent authorities are obliged to physically check the compliance of the specific vehicle with the prescribed norms.
Why is this document important for us?
The COC is therefore a document issued by each EU vehicle manufacturer for each individual vehicle and which shows the technical characteristics of the specific vehicle and confirms that it was manufactured in accordance with the WVTA (Whole vehicle type approval), i.e. type approval of the model. In Serbia, the importer is obliged to provide this document submitted to the competent institution when importing each specific vehicle.
The mentioned regulation of the European Commission clarifies that this change will apply to vehicles of categories M and N
(as well as their category O trailers) intended for use on public roads. The EU has already informed the manufacturers of these changes, and some members of the Serbian Association of Importers of Vehicles and Parts have already received extensive documentation from them, which includes, among other things, what interests not only importers but also buyers – the electronic issuance of the COC document. Article 37 of the aforementioned Regulation is key.
Article 37 refers to the “Certificate of Conformity (COC) in electronic format”:
“From July 5, 2026, manufacturers will free of charge and without undue delay after the date of manufacture of the vehicle, make the Certificate of Conformity (COC) available to the approval authority that granted the type approval of the entire vehicle as structured data in electronic format”.
The Certificate of Conformity (COC) is delivered as structured data in an electronic format in accordance with the implementing acts, so that it can be accessed by the approval authority, market surveillance authority and registration authority of each individual Member State.”
Nevertheless, the EU legislator also allows a slight deviation, probably in the desire to enable some EU members, as well as non-EU countries that are not ready for the application of these regulations in time, to continue using “paper COCs” after July 5, 2026. “.
Namely in Article 37 paragraph 10 also states the following:
“From July 5, 2026, in special, exceptional cases, when national competent institutions require it, the manufacturer can issue a COC document in duplicate in paper format”
So, although the possibility of issuing the COC document in paper form is left even after July 5, 2026, it can be assumed that most manufacturers will focus on electronic issuance and that the COC document in paper form will slowly but surely go down in history.
The Serbian Association of Importers of Vehicles and Parts has, in good faith, informed the competent institutions in the Republic of Serbia about these announced changes and is ready, as always, for any form of cooperation or assistance so that all parties in our country can adapt to these changes and the announced changes in time. transition to electronic issuance/submission of the COC document.
There is enough time, so we believe that the competent authorities in Serbia will adjust their internal organization and information systems so that the import of vehicles can be carried out smoothly even after July 2026.
Source: Serbian Association of Importers of Vehicles and Parts
Photo: Archive Autoblog.rs / Audi
Source: autoblog.rs
