RDW does not put a Belgian classic car on a Dutch registration, and then?

In this case, a Dutchman bought a beautiful old Ford Mustang Cabriolet in Belgium with a Belgian registration and then wanted it to import the car  in the Netherlands at Customs and then have it registered with the RDW.

You would think, given all the EU directives, that it would be a formality within the EU by now, but things would turn out differently.

Finally, there are specific guidelines from the EU, which indicate that the Dutch RDW is not (any longer) allowed to check all kinds of technical aspects of a car that is imported from another EU country. However, the RDW has not accepted those guidelines for years. In this case the Netherlands is not the ‘best boy’ in the EU!

You see that the Dutch RDW still believes that they can subject the – entire car – to an investigation if they deem it necessary.

There you are with a newly bought shiny Belgian oldtimer and the RDW still applies its own rules and of course will find something.

You often hear the owner indicate that an employee of the RDW thought the car was ’too beautiful’ or ’too dirty’ and then check the entire car and then, of course, something will be found in a car that is 60 years old.

In this case, the original Belgian owner was approached by the RDW lawyer, who eventually took back the car.

The Ford Mustang convertible is of course still driving around in Belgium…

You have been informed and warned!

Hein Dudink/Lawyer