# Trailer trouble in Portugal



## mauriceheather1 (May 27, 2008)

Just read an article in this months MMM, regarding towing a trailer in Portugal. 

So if you are towing best to buy the MMM and read it. Not good news.


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## PAT4NEIL (Jul 21, 2007)

Hello, 

Can you tell us more please, is it all trailers.

Thanks Pat


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## mauriceheather1 (May 27, 2008)

*trailer trouble in portugal*

A reader as wrote into the mmm saying that when he was retunring from portugal in his motorhome and whislt towing a trailer with a motorcycle on he was stoped by the portugal police and find 600euros as his trailer was not regesterd. However you need to read his account of what happend.also what 
his MEP as stated has this could bea very big problem if towing in portugal 
cheers maurice


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## TonyF (Sep 1, 2008)

I knew I'd read it somewhere - that caravans and trailers with a permitted weight over 750KG must have a seperate registration - but the only reference I can find for this applies to Germany - I had no idea that Portugal were enforcing a similar law.

I am travelling from Spain to greece in 2 weeks - and to avoid any hassle I'm leaving the Smart car behind. I think the only solution is to keep additional vehicle (motorbikes) in the Garage - but then you get weight complications ..... and this is supposed to be recreation :?


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## mauriceheather1 (May 27, 2008)

*towingin portugal*

HI tony. i Have just returned from portual.I cannot see a problem towing on a aframe as far as the regerstation goes as of course if they class it as a trailer then in fact it would be regestered, what happens about a caravan! they are over 750 kls cheers maurice


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Obviously laws are not common across eu.

How much do we need to know for all of the eu regards vehicles trailers etc.

dave P


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## TonyF (Sep 1, 2008)

This may (or may not) help :? But I am researching A Frame towing regs (not wanting to open that old chestnut here!) and have come across legislation published by a french company who manufacture them. The essence of it is that anything that is legal in any EEC member state (Say UK) will be lawful for any vehicle travelling in another member state. Therefore if the Trailer is lawful and proper in the Uk then it will be OK within other member states. The EEC directive (unfortunately in French) can be found here http://www.jattel.com/legislation_161.htm unfortunately I have not yet got round to finding the English version.

Whilst I have not read the MMM article (difficult to get here in Spain) I am sure that the fine could be reclaimed on appeal under the EEC agreements/ Directives

Tony


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## spindrifter (Nov 14, 2006)

This may help.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_10037875

Cheers

David


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## randonneur (Jan 25, 2007)

It is the same here in France, trailers over a certain weight have got to be registered. That is why a French caravan has a different registration number to the towing vehicle.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

randonneur said:


> It is the same here in France, trailers over a certain weight have got to be registered. That is why a French caravan has a different registration number to the towing vehicle.


But is it commonly accepted that reciprocal European legislation arrangements apply, as TonyF rightly says?

Dougie.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I have towed caravans in France for 15 years. Never been asked if any were registered. We do not register caravans in this country and are merely visitors when abroad.
They will want to see our cars with steering wheel on passenger side soon.

Dave p


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## Guest (Apr 24, 2009)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> Obviously laws are not common across eu.
> 
> How much do we need to know for all of the eu regards vehicles trailers etc.
> 
> dave P


It can be really complicated.
Some years ago, our Danish sister company wanted to borrow some of our (UK) exhibition equipment. I would normally tow this around in a 1500kg box van trailer. On this occasion I could not spare the time/expense to visit a Danish exhibition with no possibility of UK leads, so I hatched a plan. I would drive the trailer to Harwich, put the trailer on the ferry so they could pick it up in Esbjerg - simple. No! It seems it is not so easy after all. The driver needed a special licence, the trailer had to be registered and all sort of other hoops (e.g.insurance)had to be got through.

It was ironic was that If I had taken the stuff all the way, there would have been no problem at all!

Tco


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

level playing fields attract moles

Dave p


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## captmike (Sep 30, 2008)

> The EEC directive (unfortunately in French) can be found here http://www.jattel.com/legislation_161.htm unfortunately I have not yet got round to finding the English version


Tony F,

I have checked this directive out on the EU website and it relates to trailer couplings only, not to trailers in general. It would be interesting to find the EU directive giving the ruling on general reciprocal recognition of members' legislation. Do you (or anyone else) know anything about that?

Cheers,

Mike


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi.

we purchased a new Minno Max trailer from http://www.brianjames.co.uk/ last October so we could take our car on the back of the motor home.

We travelled extensively through France, Spain, and Portugal and we never had any problem with towing or the Police.










As can be seen the trailer has all the EEC spec on the identification plate on the trailer, so I can not see how there could be any conflict in any EEC country!.


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

One wonders if this may be an isolated incident blown up out of all proportion. There are thousands of UK drivers who tow trailers and caravans every year into Portugal with no problems at all. There is no special advice from the motoring organisations, clubs or any other body. In fact everybody else is saying that there is no problem.
So should we not let this one incident be forgotten as quickly as it was raised?
Gerry


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## mauriceheather1 (May 27, 2008)

*trailer trouble in portugal*

I have now scaned a copy of the letter sent in by the writer to MMM and there reply for all you guys over there that cannot get a copy of the mag 
This is the first time i used the scaner so if it has not come out right somebody will no doubt tell me what to do cheers maurice


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## nomad (May 11, 2005)

Hi, I think that he was conned and the policeman has pocketed his 600 Euros. With the number of British caravanners that tow in Portugal there is no way that the GNR man could have been mistaken.
I know it would have taken a lot of nerve but he should have said Confiscate the trailer, and followed it to the police station for verification. Then the GNR man would probably have changed his mind.
I hope that I'm wrong and that he can identify the policeman and he gets the €600 back but we will probably never hear the final outcome.
Colin


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

nomad said:


> Hi, I think that he was conned and the policeman has pocketed his 600 Euros. With the number of British caravanners that tow in Portugal there is no way that the GNR man could have been mistaken.
> I know it would have taken a lot of nerve but he should have said Confiscate the trailer, and followed it to the police station for verification. Then the GNR man would probably have changed his mind.
> I hope that I'm wrong and that he can identify the policeman and he gets the €600 back but we will probably never hear the final outcome.
> Colin


Thats exactly what me and the wife said :roll: .


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## Chausson (Oct 17, 2006)

GerryD said:


> One wonders if this may be an isolated incident blown up out of all proportion. There are thousands of UK drivers who tow trailers and caravans every year into Portugal with no problems at all. There is no special advice from the motoring organisations, clubs or any other body. In fact everybody else is saying that there is no problem.
> So should we not let this one incident be forgotten as quickly as it was raised?
> Gerry


Don't wish to be argumentative but it's not your 600 bucks


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