COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 97/20/EC of 18 April 1997 adapting to technical progress Council Directive 72/306/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the measures to be taken against the emission of pollutants from diesel engines for use in vehicles (Text with EEA relevance)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 72/306/EEC of 2 August 1972 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the measures to be taken against the emission of pollutants from diesel engines for use in vehicles (1), as last amended by Commission Directive 89/491/EEC (2), and in particular Article 4 thereof,
Whereas Directive 72/306/EEC is one of the separate directives in the EC type-approval procedure established by Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970 on the approximation of the laws of Member States relating to the type-approval of motor vehicles and their trailers (3), as last amended by Directive 96/79/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (4); whereas, consequently, the provisions laid down in Directive 70/156/EEC relating to vehicle systems, components and separate technical units apply to Directive 72/306/EEC;
Whereas, in particular, pursuant to Articles 3 (4) and 4 (3) of Directive 70/156/EEC, it is necessary that each separate directive has attached to it an information document incorporating the relevant items of Annex I to Directive 70/156/EEC and also a type-approval certificate based on Annex VI to Directive 70/156/EEC in order that type-approval may be computerized;
Whereas these amendments relate only to the administrative provisions contained in Directive 72/306/EEC, whereas it is not necessary therefore to invalidate existing approvals pursuant to Directive 72/306/EEC nor to prevent the registration, sale and entry into service of new vehicles covered by such approvals;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Adaptation to Technical Progress established by Directive 70/156/EEC,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
Directive 72/306/EEC is hereby amended as follows:
1. Article 1 is replaced by the following:
'Article 1
For the purposes of this Directive "vehicle" means any vehicle with a diesel engine, intended for use on the road, with or without bodywork, having at least four wheels and a maximum design speed exceeding 25 km/h, with the exception of vehicles which run on rails and of agricultural and forestry tractors and of all mobile machinery.`;
2. in Article 2, 'Annexes I, II, III, IV and VI` are replaced by 'the requirements of the relevant Annexes to this Directive`;
3. in Article 3, 'item 2.2` is replaced by 'item 1.1`;
4. the Annexes are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Directive.
Article 2
With effect from 1 October 1997, Member States:
- shall no longer grant EC type-approval pursuant to Article 4 (1) of Directive 70/156/EEC, and
- may refuse national type-approval,
for a new type of vehicle on grounds relating to the emission of pollutants from diesel engines if it fails to comply with the provisions of Directive 72/306/EEC, as amended by this Directive.
This Directive shall not invalidate any approval previously granted pursuant to Directive 72/306/EEC nor prevent extensions of such approvals under the terms of the Directive under which they were originally granted.
Article 3
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 30 September 1997. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.
When Member States adopt these provisions, these shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference at the time of their official publication. The procedure for such reference shall be adopted by Member States.
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the texts 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 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
Article 5
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 18 April 1997.