The EU regulation on changing the method of issuing the COC (Certificate of Conformity) document.

The COC (Certificate of Conformity) document will be issued in electronic form starting from 2026, in accordance with European Union regulations.

The Serbian Association of Vehicle and spare parts importers has shared information published in the EU Official Journal L151/1 dated June 14, 2018, specifically Regulation 2018/858, in which the European Parliament adopted new rules regarding the issuance of the COC (Certificate of Conformity) document as early as 2018.

Namely, the European Council and the European Parliament made significant changes in a comprehensive document related to the technical specifications and characteristics of vehicles, with which many manufacturers are already familiar. What is of particular interest now, and will certainly concern vehicle importers and buyers 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), but in the future, it will be issued in electronic form. This change will take effect on July 5, 2026.

What is the COC, and what is its purpose?

The COC, or Certificate of Conformity, is a document issued by the vehicle manufacturer certifying that a specific vehicle was produced and complies with the European Union's requirements at the time of its manufacture, and that it was produced 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 as it confirms that the vehicle meets all relevant technical and environmental standards in place at the time of its production. Without a COC document, vehicle registration can be significantly more difficult or even impossible, as the relevant authorities would then be required to physically check the vehicle’s compliance with the prescribed standards.

Why is this document important for us?

The COC is a document issued by every EU vehicle manufacturer for each individual vehicle, showing the technical specifications of that vehicle and confirming that it was manufactured in accordance with WVTA (Whole Vehicle Type Approval) or model type approval. In Serbia, the importer is required to submit this document to the relevant institution during the import of each specific vehicle.

The mentioned EU Commission regulation explains that this change will apply to vehicles in categories M and N (as well as their trailers in category O) intended for use on public roads. The EU has already informed manufacturers of these changes, and some members of the Serbian Association of Vehicle and Parts Importers have already received extensive documentation from them, which includes information that interests not only importers but also buyers – the electronic issuance of the COC document. The key part is Article 37 of the said regulation.

Article 37 discusses the "Certificate of Conformity (COC) in electronic format":

However, the EU legislator allows for a slight deviation, likely to accommodate some EU member states and non-EU countries that are not prepared to implement these regulations on time, allowing them to continue using the "paper COC" after July 5, 2026.

Specifically, Article 37, paragraph 10, states the following:

Therefore, although the possibility of issuing a paper COC document after July 5, 2026, remains, it is expected that most manufacturers will focus on electronic issuance, and the paper COC document will slowly but surely become a thing of the past.

The Serbian Association of Vehicle and Parts Importers has, in good faith, informed the relevant institutions in the Republic of Serbia about these upcoming changes and is, as always, ready to cooperate or assist in any way to ensure that all parties in the country are prepared for these changes and the transition to electronic issuance/submission of COC documents. There is enough time, and we believe that the relevant authorities in Serbia will adapt their internal organization and information systems to ensure the smooth import of vehicles even after July 2026.