Under Directives 2003/97/EC and 2005/27/EC new goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes and certain goods vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes had to be fitted, from 26 January 2007, with additional and improved mirrors in order to reduce blind spots. A new Directive 2007/38/EC requires heavy goods vehicles to be fitted retrospectively with enhanced devices, for example mirrors, so as to reduce the risk of fatal accidents involving vulnerable road users. This directive applies to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes which are not type-approved or approved as a single vehicle under Directive 2003/97/EC.

Under the directive all vehicles of categories over 3.5 tonnes not complying with Directive 2003/97/EC must be retrofitted, on the passenger’s side, with improved devices for indirect vision.

However, the requirements do not apply to any of the following:

• Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes registered before 1 January 2000
• Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes having a maximum total permissible mass (mpm) not exceeding 7.5 tonnes, where it is impossible to mount a class V mirror in a way that ensures that the following conditions are fulfilled:

- no part of the mirror is less than 2m ( a tolerance of  +10cm may be applied) from the ground, regardless of the adjustment position, when the vehicle is under a load corresponding to its maximum technically permissible weight and
- the mirror is fully visible from the driving position

• Light commercial vehicles (not more than 3.5 tonnes mpm) and passenger carrying vehicles (PCVs) are not covered by the directive.
• Class VI front mirrors which became mandatory on vehicles over 7.5 tonnes from 26 January 2007 are not required to be retrofitted under the directive.