It would be nasty, like crashing into a bike or a scooter. But there’s no reason why people should crash into it more than into those.
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Don’t have that I’m not going to order one before I buy the car makes no sense
There is a specific exemption for hired vehicles likewise for vehicles provided by an employer.
I’ve been doing some research. As I pointed out previously there are no EU laws only Directives & Regulations etc that need to be incorporated into national law & as you pointed out previously it’s all to do with tax.
“Council Directive 83/182/EEC of 28 March 1983 on tax exemptions within the Community for certain means of transport temporarily imported into one Member State from another” contains this:-
Article 3
Temporary importation of certain means of transport for private use
Where a private vehicle, caravan, pleasure boat, private aircraft, tricycle or bicycle is imported temporarily, the item imported shall be exempt from the taxes specified in Article 1 for a period, continuous or otherwise, of not more than six months in any 12 months, provided that: (a) the individual importing such goods: (aa) has his normal residence in a Member State other than the Member State of temporary importation;
(bb) employs the means of transport in question for his private use;
(b) the said means of transport is not disposed of or hired out in the Member State of temporary importation or lent to a resident of that State. However, private vehicles belonging to a car-hire firm having its head office in the Community may be re-hired to non-residents with a view to being re-exported, if they are in the country as a result of a hire contract which ended in that country. They may also be returned by an employee of the car-hire firm to the Member State where they were originally hired, even if such employee is resident in the Member State of temporary importation.
Article 4 covers temporary importation of private vehicles for business use.
This Directive is incorporated into UK law in The Motor Vehicles (International Circulation) (Amendment) Order 1996 which states in Paragraph 5:-
a)in the case of a vehicle to which the Council Directive on the temporary importation of a private vehicle from another member State applies, the vehicle shall be exempt from excise duty if its importation is in accordance with the provisions of that Directive and it shall continue to be so exempt for as long as those provisions continue to be satisfied;
All EU States should have incorporated a 1983 Directive into national law by now so I am sure that there is a similar prohibition in French law.
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A31983L0182
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/1929/article/5/made
Excellent piece of research Nigel. I’m aware that there’s no “EU laws” as such (that might raise legitimate sovereignty issues 
) but I hadn’t the tenacity and energy to dig out the directive. Chapeau 
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This might need a new thread but what are the issues with imported trailers?
Reason I ask is that I saw a French registered and plated van pulling a trailer that had a UK number plate at Chausson this weekend.
That’s because it’s really hard to register a trailer in any Europe country
I can only talk about France…
Over the years, DRIRE/DREAL have been really helpful regarding trailers from UK… which did not have the necessary paperwork …
Getting the dossier together can take time… but it’s worth it in the end…
I haven’t a clue about trailer registration Ray. I’ve only a little 1.93 metre one, so it just uses the car plate.
I am tearing my hair re trailer registration at the moment - it is doable but just a load of extra admin that I do not currently have time for.
If anyone wants to take this on I will happily pay them. Serious offer…
France is the Country that put up most barriers to the single market it’s because they want to protect their own companies first
I think once Sweden joins the Euro you can criticise us for protectionism.
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What has the euro to do with it?? Sweden is the Europen Union and the single market
Whatever. I expect there are reasons for not joining that have nothing at all to do with protectionism in any way.
SORN is not valid unless the vehicle is actually off-road (not just outsie the UK).
Also having a car in France for more than 6 months and not re-registering it is against the law.
Owner may not be caught, but I know people who have been caught on both following being reported to DVLA or the local Gendarmerie.
Having a car in France for over 6 months on a UK registration also makes the insurance cover dubious or even void (depends a bit, but not much, on whether the insurance is from a UK or French insurer).
In the perfect single market people should be able to keep their cars registered in any country they want in the single market
The government wanted to have the euro but the people voted no even do the krone is so much lower than the euro
Of course. That doesn’t stop the crooks, they do it for the reasons I outlined about 10 days ago and that others added to. I expect the crooks hope to fall through the net.
I think if they are doing it with intent to squirm out of responsibilities then they should be slammed with the full force of whatever law we can throw at them.
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The UK has left the single market 
Sadly