Publication
End-of-Series Scheme for Agricultural and Forestry Tractors
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
By law, when a vehicle is first manufactured it must meet all the necessary safety and quality standards before it can be sold throughout the EU i.e. EU type approval. However, these standards change over time so a vehicle manufactured in recent months or years may now not meet the latest standard. This vehicle is still new, as it has never been sold, so it is referred to as an ‘end-of-series’ i.e. the last of its type.
In accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/68 on vehicle braking requirements for the approval of agricultural and forestry vehicles as amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/828 as regards requirements relating to Anti-Lock Braking Systems, high pressure energy storage devices and hydraulic connections of the single-line type, from 1st January 2025, the making available on the market, registration, or entry into service of new tractors (EU Category T and Category C) fitted with hydraulic connections of the single-line type will be prohibited within the EU.
Manufacturers or distributors facing economic or technical difficulties in complying with the new standards can apply for an end-of-series ‘derogation’. This allows them extra time to sell off any stock of vehicles that were manufactured to previous standards.
Dealers and retailers of new tractors should contact their manufacturers/distributors regarding any unregistered new tractors in stock which do not meet the new requirements.
The new legal requirements which come into effect on 1st January 2025 do not apply to second-hand tractors or new tractors that are registered before that date.
The relevant legislation on end-of-series agricultural and forestry vehicles can be found at link
Some agricultural and forestry vehicles (EU Categories T and C tractors) may be part of a stock that conformed to all the relevant standards at the time they were built but will not meet new requirements for registration from 1st January 2025. Subject to specific conditions and limitations, Member States may permit such end-of-series agricultural and forestry tractors with EU type-approvals which are no longer valid, to be registered, made available on the market and entered into service.
The maximum number of tractors that can be derogated is calculated as 10% of the number of tractors that entered service during the two years (2023 and 2024) prior to the introduction of the new standard on 1st January 2025.
In addition to the above limit, tractors must meet certain criteria when applying for a derogation:
a) Only agricultural and forestry tractors within the territory of the EU which were covered by a valid EU type-approval at the time of their production, but which had neither been registered nor entered into service before that EU type-approval lost its validity can be considered for derogation.
When applying for a derogation, the tractor must:
• be within the Republic of Ireland
• be intended for use in the Republic of Ireland and
• have been covered by a valid EU type-approval at the time of its production.
However, the tractor must not have been made available on the market or registered before the EU type-approval lost its validity.
Applications can only be made by manufacturers or distributors.
To apply for an end-of-series derogation:
1. Download the DAFM-EoS-Tractors-Application-Form-2024 which contains the application form and vehicle list.
2. Complete all the required fields in the application form and the vehicle list.
3. Submit the completed application form and the vehicle list by email to eos-tractors@agriculture.gov.ie no later than 15th December 2024. Include ‘EoS Application Request’ in the email subject line.
4. The application must be accompanied by the certificate(s) of type-approval which is/are no longer valid.
Note if you’re email is not acknowledged within 24 hours, please contact the Department on 01-5058792
Manufacturers and distributors must monitor the registration of their tractor makes in 2023 and 2024 accurately to calculate the number of derogations.
A derogation granted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine shall apply, in the case of complete vehicles, for a period of 24 months from the date on which the EU type-approval became invalid and, in the case of completed vehicles, for a period of 30 months from that date.
Please note that if there is more than one derogation approval in place for a tractor, the earliest date of expiry will apply to the tractor.
If you have any queries, please email eos-tractors@agriculture.gov.ie or telephone 015058792