The decrees on vehicle recalls - which will cover two issues, the restoration of the public information chain and the recall process - will concern all types of recalls and not just the problematic TAKATA airbags, Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Alexis Vafeadis told CNA. He also noted that he is awaiting the completion of the legal review of the four decrees so far by the Legal Service, which "may be completed today".
At the same time, the Minister said that the vehicles to be recalled amount to approximately 82.000, which include both vehicles with and without European type approval.
"So far, there are four decrees, but the Legal Service may decide differently," said Mr. Vafeadis, adding, however, that "the number of decrees is not an end in itself."
"What matters is how you cover the issue in a legal way," he emphasized.
Stating that this entire effort is aimed at two main aspects, the Minister of Transport said that one aspect "is the restoration of the public information chain for recalls and the other is the recall process."
"These are the two issues that we will cover with the decrees and these are what stem from the legislation," he emphasized.
"That's why I say that the decrees are not the point. The point is how we restore public awareness and how we proceed with the recall, and that should be our concern right now."
Furthermore, Mr. Vafeadis said that "we must not forget that the decrees will concern all types of recalls."
"It has recalls for example that concern the upholstery, that concern the driver's mirror, that concern the door handle. It has so many different types of recalls, so it can't be a one-size-fits-all approach."
For this reason, as he pointed out, "the risk assessment carried out by the manufacturer is very important."
Asked to state the number of vehicles to be recalled, Mr. Vafeadis told CNA that they amount to approximately 82.000, which include "all vehicles, with European type approval and without European approval."
Asked whether this number of vehicles to be recalled will remain, the Minister said that "it seems to end up" around this number.
There is no information on all vehicles for recall from distributors
Asked whether new vehicle dealerships continue to inform the TOM about vehicles that need to be recalled, Mr. Vafeadis said that they have requested information from the companies since November 2024, "some of which responded immediately and some took too long to respond."
He stated that "most of the information has reached TOM very recently" and that "many distributors have cooperated, some are implementing all the recalls, but "the reality remains that we do not have information from distributors for all vehicles."
Stating that there are some vehicle brands from which "we have information about some vehicles, about some recalls", the Minister of Transport said that for this reason "we are continuing and approaching the issue", receiving "information coming from distributors and from other sources of information, to which the TOM has turned for information".
"This means that the information we have from distributors is considered valid and accurate in detail, while the information we have from other sources is indicative of recalls," he noted.
This process, according to the Minister, may be revised over time because additional information may come from distributors.
"Even yesterday they brought us information (about vehicles to be recalled), and for this information that came, the TOM services are working so that we can announce it to the citizens," he said, adding that it is an ongoing activity.
Regarding vehicles that have European type approval, Mr. Vafeadis told CNA that for them "there has always been information and this information was channeled to the public in a specific way", adding that for this reason the number of vehicles for recall with European type approval is small.
He also said that for vehicles that do not have European type approval, "we had no information and this information began to come either from the distributors themselves, who now have answers from the manufacturers, or from other sources of information from the TOM."
Risk assessment by the manufacturer is important
"Any vehicles that have been instructed by the manufacturer to be immobilized must be immobilized," Mr. Vafeadis emphasized.
"We consider the risk assessment carried out by the manufacturer to be very important, as the Minister said."
He stated that "there are cases where the manufacturer assesses the risk and informs the owner to immobilise his vehicle" and added that "in such cases the vehicle should be immobilised".
"Depending on what the manufacturer says, the TOM's instructions to owners will be the same," he noted.
TOM visit to manufacturing companies
Responding to a relevant question, the Minister of Transport told CNA that he asked the TOM to visit the manufacturing companies, which "have vehicles that are affected by the recalls, with the aim of resolving the issues arising from the recall."
"Priority will be given to companies that do not include vehicles imported from third countries in their database," he added.
"We are interested in citizens being informed that their vehicles are subject to recall," he noted.
He mentioned that some companies are already notifying owners of vehicles subject to recall, so there is no need for the TOM to visit these companies.
Mr. Vafeadis explained that they do not need to visit Japan, for example, because manufacturing companies from third countries are officially represented in the European Union.
Source: KYPE
