At the request of the manufacturer and within the quantitative annual limits for vehicle categories M, N and O set out in point 1 of Part A of Annex V, Member States shall grant an EU type-approval for a type of vehicle produced in small series that satisfies at least the technical requirements laid down in Appendix 1 to Part I of Annex II.

Paragraph 1 shall not apply to special purpose vehicles.

The EU type-approval certificate for vehicles produced in small series shall be given a unique number in accordance with a harmonised numbering system, which shall at least allow for the identification of the Member State which granted the EU type-approval and for the identification of the requirements to which the type of vehicle, system, component or separate technical unit conforms.

The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the template and the numbering system for EU type-approval certificates for vehicles produced in small series. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 83(2).

The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 82, amending Appendix 1 of Part I to Annex II to set out the technical requirements for vehicle categories M, N and O and amending point 1 of Part A of Annex V accordingly as regards the quantitative annual limits.

Manufacturers may apply for a national type-approval of vehicles produced in small series within the quantitative annual limits set out in point 2 of Part A of Annex V. Those limits shall apply to the making available on the market, the registration or the entry into service of vehicles of the approved type in the market of each Member State in a given year.

Member States may decide to exempt any type of vehicle referred to in paragraph 1 from the obligation to comply with one or more of the requirements of this Regulation or with one or more of the requirements laid down in the regulatory acts listed in Annex II, provided that those Member States have laid down relevant alternative requirements.

For the national type-approval of vehicles produced in small series, the approval authority shall accept systems, components and separate technical units that are type-approved in accordance with the regulatory acts listed in Annex II.

The national type-approval certificate for vehicles produced in small series shall be given a unique number in accordance with a harmonised numbering system, which shall at least allow for the identification of the Member State which granted the type-approval and for characterising the approval as one granted for a national small series.

The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the template and harmonised numbering system of the national type-approval certificate of vehicles produced in small series which shall bear the heading ‘National small series vehicle type-approval certificate’ and shall specify the content and the nature of the exemptions granted pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Article. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 83(2). Until such time as the Commission adopts such implementing acts, Member States may continue to determine the format of national type-approval certificates.

The validity of a national type-approval of vehicles produced in small series shall be restricted to the territory of the Member State of the approval authority that has granted that type-approval.

At the request of the manufacturer, the approval authority shall send to the approval authorities of the Member States chosen by the manufacturer a copy of the national type-approval certificate, including the relevant parts of the information package referred to in Article 26(4), either by registered mail or electronic mail.

The approval authorities of the Member States shall accept the national type-approval, unless they have reasonable grounds to believe that the national technical requirements in accordance with which the type of vehicle has been approved are not equivalent to their own.

Within two months of receipt of the documents referred to in paragraph 2, the approval authorities of Member States chosen by the manufacturer shall communicate to the approval authority that granted the national type-approval their decision to accept the type-approval or not. Where no such decision has been communicated within that two-month period, the national type-approval shall be deemed to have been accepted.

At the request of an applicant who wishes to place on the market, register or enter into service in another Member State a vehicle with a national type-approval of vehicles produced in small series, the approval authority that granted the national type-approval of vehicles produced in small series shall provide the national authority of the other Member State with a copy of the type-approval certificate, including the relevant parts of the information package.

The national authority of the other Member State shall permit the placing on the market, registration or entry into service of such vehicle, unless it has reasonable grounds to believe that the national technical requirements in accordance with which the type of vehicle has been approved are not equivalent to its own.