The Eurasian Economic Union has amended its technical regulation titled “On the safety of wheeled vehicles,” which governs cars produced within the EAEU. In the coming period, each member country—Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Belarus and Kazakhstan—will be able to set its own additional requirements for vehicles. The changes are designed to take effect on April 25 and will remain in force through February of the following year, after which the regime will be reviewed.
According to the decision issued by the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission, the window remains open until February 1, 2023 to establish and apply mandatory requirements for certain wheeled vehicles produced inside EAEU member states. The decision also allows adherence to national regulatory acts and existing national legislation as the framework for these requirements .
The envisioned simplification in labeling and documentation means that a vehicle identified as a simplified car must have its status clearly stated in both the title and the registration certificate. Information about such vehicles will be recorded in a national register of vehicles assembled to meet local standards. Access to this register will be granted to customs authorities, border services, and potentially traffic police. Export of simplified cars to non-member countries will be prohibited unless there is a formal bilateral agreement permitting it .
The text of the regulation specifies that monitoring the implementation of this decision is carried out by the competent authorities of each member state in accordance with their own laws. This ensures that the new framework remains under national governance while aligning with EAEU-wide objectives .
From an industry perspective, the ability to produce simplified cars is seen as a way to prevent factory shutdowns caused by shortages of components. However, this flexibility comes with trade-offs: vehicles produced under these provisions may not reach the same high standards of safety and environmental performance as traditionally certified models. In practice, this could mean differences in crash protection, emissions controls, and durability checks compared with standard models, depending on the country of manufacture and the regulatory choices made there .
Analysts describe the policy as a pragmatic compromise among member states. Sergey Burgazliev, an independent automotive industry consultant, notes that the decision reflects a market-driven approach where participation and resource availability influence vehicle specifications. The practical effect is that the same model could vary in its technical characteristics depending on the jurisdiction of production and the local regulatory framework .
In concrete terms, it is possible for engines to meet Euro-2 emission standards, while other elements such as antiblock braking systems (ABS), electronic stability programs (ESP), or airbags may be optional at the discretion of the producing country’s authorities. The degree of conformity with high safety and environmental norms could therefore differ across states, aligning with local policy priorities and industrial capabilities .