European UnionI want to complain about a vehicle safety issue to the EU. What's the procedure?
You can report a vehicle safety issue to the European Commission via the EU's Safety Gate (RAPEX) system or contact your national market surveillance authority. The Commission may investigate and coordinate recalls if a serious risk is confirmed.
What the Law Says
EU law requires manufacturers, importers, distributors, and national authorities to act swiftly when vehicles pose a serious risk to health or safety. The main legal framework includes Regulation (EU) 2018/858 on vehicle type-approval and Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 on market surveillance.
Under Regulation (EU) 2018/858, manufacturers must ensure vehicles comply with EU safety standards before placing them on the market. If a non-compliance or safety defect is discovered after approval, they must immediately inform the national approval authority and take corrective action — including recall — without delay.
Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 sets out obligations for market surveillance authorities in each EU Member State. It requires them to monitor products on the market and take appropriate measures — such as withdrawal or recall — when a product poses a serious risk.
The RAPEX system (established under Regulation (EC) No 765/2008) enables rapid information exchange between national authorities and the Commission about dangerous non-food products, including vehicles and vehicle parts.
Statutory TextWhere a manufacturer finds that a type-approved vehicle… presents a serious risk to the health or safety of persons… it shall immediately inform the approval authority… and take all appropriate corrective action.
— Regulation (EU) 2018/858, Art. 63(1)
Statutory TextMember States shall ensure that economic operators… notify the market surveillance authorities without delay where they have reason to believe that a product… presents a serious risk to the health or safety of persons.
— Regulation (EC) No 765/2008, Art. 19(1)
What to Do
Contact your national market surveillance authority (e.g., DVLA in the UK pre-Brexit; KBA in Germany; ANTS in France) — they are the first point of contact.
Provide clear details: vehicle make/model/year, VIN, description of the safety issue, and any evidence (photos, service records, incident reports).
If the issue involves a cross-border risk or your national authority does not act, you may submit a report directly via the EU’s Safety Gate portal (https://ec.europa.eu/safety-gate-alerts/screen/webform).
The Commission will assess the report and, if warranted, trigger RAPEX alerts to other Member States within 24 hours for serious risks.
Follow up with your national authority — they remain responsible for enforcement, including ordering recalls or bans.
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.