1970L0221 — EN — 07.04.1970 — 000.001 — 1
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►B COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
of 20March 1970
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to liquid fuel tanks and ►C1 rear
underrun protection ◄for motor vehicles and their trailers
(70/221/EEC)
(OJ L 76, 6.4.1970, p. 23)
Corrected by:
►C1Corrigendum, OJ L 65, 15.3.1979, p. 42 (70/221)
1970L0221 — EN — 07.04.1970 — 000.001 — 2
▼B
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
of 20March 1970
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to
liquid fuel tanks and ►C1 rear underrun protection ◄for motor
vehicles and their trailers
(70/221/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community and in particular Article 100 thereof;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission;Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament(
1);
Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee(2);
Whereas the technical requirements which motor vehicles must satisfy
pursuant to national laws relate, inter alia to their liquid fuel tanks and
►C1rear underrun protection ◄;
Whereas those requirements differ from one Member State to another;
whereas it is therefore necessary that all Member States adopt the samerequirements either in addition to or in place of their existing rules, inorder, in particular, to allow the EEC type approval procedure whichwas the subject of the Council Directive(
3) of 6 February 1970 on the
approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the typeapproval of motor vehicles and their trailers to be applied in respect ofeach type of vehicle;
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
For the purposes of this Directive, ‘vehicle' means any motor vehicle
intended for use on the road, with or without bodywork, having at leastfour wheels and a maximum design speed exceeding 25 kilometres perhour, and its trailers, with the exception of vehicles which run on rails,agricultural tractors and machinery and public works vehicles.
Article 2
No Member Stare may refuse to grant EEC type approval or national
type approval of a vehicle on grounds relating to liquid fuel tanks or►
C1rear underrun protection ◄if these satisfy the requirements set
out in the Annex.
Article 3
The amendments necessary for adjusting the requirements of the Annex
so as to take account of technical progress, with the exception of therequirements set out under item I, shall be adopted in accordance withthe procedure laid down in Article 13 of the Council Directive of 6February 1970 on the type approval of motor vehicles and their trailers.
Article 4
1. Member States shall put into force the provisions containing the
requirements needed in order to comply with this Directive within
(1) OJ No C 160, 18.12.1969, p. 7.
(2) OJ No C 48, 16.4.1969, p. 16.
(3) OJ No L 42, 23.2.1970, p. 1.
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▼B
eighteen months of its notification and shall forthwith inform theCommission thereof.
2. Member States shall ensure that the texts of the main provisions of
national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive arecommunicated to the Commission.
Article 5
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
1970L0221 — EN — 07.04.1970 — 000.001 — 4
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ANNEX
I. Tanks and reserve tanks for liquid fuel
I.1. Fuel tanks must be made so as to be corrosion resistant. They must
satisfy the leakage tests carried out by the manufacturer at a pressureequal to double the working pressure but in any event not less than 1 ·3
bars. Any excess pressure or any pressure exceeding the workingpressure must be automatically compensated by suitable devices (vents,safety valves, etc.). The vents must be designed in such a way as toprevent any fire risks. The fuel must not escape through the fuel tankcap or through the devices provided to compensate excess pressure,even if the tank is completely overturned: a drip shall be tolerated.
I.2. Fuel tanks must be installed in such a way as to be protected from the
consequences of an impact to the front or to the rear of the vehicle;there shall be no protruding parts, sharp edges, etc., near the tanks.
II. ►
C1 Rear underrun protection ◄
II.1. The ground clearance throughout the width of the rear of the chassis or
of the main parts of the body may not exceed 70 cm, where the centreof the rearmost axle and the rearmost point of the vehicle are more than1 metre apart.
II.2 If this requirement is not met, the vehicle must be equipped with a
►
C1rear underrun protection ◄fitted in accordance with the specifi-
cations listed below.
II.3 Specifications for fitting ►C1rear underrun protection ◄:
II.3.1. The underside of the ►C1rear underrun protection ◄must be less
than 70 cm from the ground when the vehicle is unladen.
II.3.2. At the place where the ►C1rear underrun protection ◄is fitted its
width may not exceed the width of the vehicle or be less than the widthof the vehicle by more than 10 cm on either side.
II.3.3. The ►
C1rear underrun protection ◄must be placed as closely as
possible to the rear of the vehicle and in no case more than 60 cm fromthe rearmost point of the vehicle.
II.3.4. The ends of the ►
C1rear underrun protection ◄must not be bent
backwards.
II.3.5. The ►C1rear underrun protection ◄must be firmly fixed to the
chassis side-members or to whatever replaces them.
II.3.6. The ►C1rear underrun protection ◄must have a bending strength at
least equivalent to that of a steel beam whose cross-section has abending strength modulus of 20 cm
3.
II.4. By way of derogation from the preceding requirements, vehicles of the
following types need not be fitted with a ►C1rear underrun protec-
tion◄:
— tractors for semi-trailers;
— ‘slung'trailers and other similar trailers for the transport of logs or
other very long items;
— vehicles for which a ►C1rear underrun protection ◄is incom-
patible with their use.