MALTA SINGLE VEHICLE APPROVAL (SVA)
INTRODUCTION
In order to properly control the quality of used vehicles entering Malta, the Maltese authorities have implemented a scheme requiring the inspection of all cars destined for export from Japan to Malta. This scheme is known as the 'Single Vehicle Approval', or SVA scheme. (Not to be confused with the UK SVA or any other national SVA scheme).
HOW THE SCHEME WORKS
The scheme works on what might loosely be called a 'type approval' basis. A representative vehicle is subject to a number of checks and inspections. If the performance and specification of that representative vehicle satisfies the requirements of the Malta Transport Authority (ADT), then a Model Report is created. If subsequent vehicles of the same make and model are to the same specification as that original vehicle, then it is assumed that they also will meet all necessary standards, as defined by the ADT. To check compliance of subsequent vehicles, their specification is compared with the original vehicle by way of cross referencing the key components and systems on the vehicle being inspected with the details in the model report. If inspected vehicles are found to conform to the specification of the original vehicle, then a "Certificate of Conformity with Model Report' is issued. All second hand vehicles exported from Japan to Malta must have such a certificate before they can be imported into Malta.
WHO IS RUNNING THE SCHEME
The ADT have contracted VCA to run the scheme and VCA is conducting vehicle inspections and issuing certificates of conformity from their office in Nagoya, Japan.
If you want to know more about the Malta SVA scheme, please follow the link below to access the information.