A large portion of imported used cars in Bulgaria - around 60% - have had their odometers tampered with, according to Bulgarian MEP Andrey Novakov. In a recent interview with Nova TV, he highlighted a new initiative by the European Commission that aims to put an end to mileage manipulation by creating a centralized database accessible across all EU member states.

The proposed system would record mileage data from each vehicle during its annual technical inspections. This information, linked to the license plate number, would include whether the car has passed inspection and the actual kilometers driven. The idea is to offer buyers transparent and reliable data about the car's history, helping prevent fraud.

The initiative originates from Bulgaria and was included in a legislative package on roadworthiness that the European Commission published in late April. Novakov expressed satisfaction that a proposal from Bulgaria had made it this far in the legislative process. While the legislation has yet to be voted on in the European Parliament, he described its inclusion in the package as a significant step forward.

The system is designed to render odometer fraud pointless rather than technically impossible. Even if the mileage is altered, the original reading will be accessible through the public database, making such tampering easy to identify. Novakov emphasized that although dishonest sellers will likely continue manipulating odometers, the new rules will allow buyers to verify the actual mileage of a car over time.

At present, EU member states collect data on vehicle mileage during inspections, but this information is not yet accessible to the public or shared across borders. Under the new legislation, that would change. Once the law is adopted and published in the official EU journal, technical inspection data will be made available on the new platform, facilitating transparency and consumer protection throughout the EU.

According to Novakov, this move addresses a long-standing problem affecting used car markets across Europe. With the new system in place, buyers will be able to trace the inspection history of a car and confirm how many kilometers it has actually traveled before making a purchase - whether it’s one year or five years after import.