COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 1999/98/EC
of 15 December 1999
adapting to technical progress Directive 96/79/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of occupants of motor vehicles in the event of a frontal impact
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type approval of motor vehicles and their trailer(1) as, last amended by Directive 98/91/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council(2) and in particular Article 13 (2) thereof,
Having regard to Directive 96/79/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1996 on the protection of occupants, of motor vehicles in the event of a frontal impact and amending Directive 70/156/EEC(3),
Whereas:
(1) Directive 96/79/EC is one of the separate directives under the Community approval procedure introduced by Concil Directive 70/156/EEC. The provisions of Directive 70/156/EEC concerning vehicle systems, components and separate technical units thus apply to the present Directive.
(2) In implementation of Article 4(b) of Directive 96/79/EC, the Commission was to re-examine and, if appropriate, amend Appendix 7 to Annex II to that same Directive in order to take account of the assessment tests on the heel of the Hybrid III dummy, including the tests on vehicles.
(3) The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on Adaptation to Technical Progress set up by Directive 70/156/EEC,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
Annex II to Directive 96/79/EC is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Directive.
Article 2
1. From 1 October 2000, Member States may not, for reasons relating to the tests to assess the heel of the Hybrid III dummy:
- either refuse EC approval for a new type of vehicle,
- or prohibit the registration, sale or placing in service of a vehicle,
if the tests to assess the heel of the Hybrid III dummy meet the requirements of Directive 96/79/EC, as amended by this Directive.
2. From 1 April 2001, Member States may no longer grant EC approval for a type of vehicle in pursuance of Article 4 of Directive 70/156/EEC if the provisions of Directive 96/79/EC, as amended by this Directive, are not complied with.
Article 3
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary in order to comply with this Directive by 30 September 2000 at the latest. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.
When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive
Article 4
This Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
Article 5
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 15 December 1999.