1976L0763 — EN — 30.10.1997 — 002.001 — 1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
of 27July 197 6
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to passenger seats for wheeled
agricultural or forestry tractors
(76/763/EEC)
(OJ L 262, 27.9.1976, p. 135)
Amended by:
Official Journal
Nopage date
►M1Council Directive 82/890/EEC of 17 December 1982 L 378 45 31.12.1982
►M2Directive 97/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23
September 1997 L 277 24 10.10.1997
1976L0763 — EN — 30.10.1997 — 002.001 — 2
▼B
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
of 27July 197 6
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to
passenger seats for wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors
(76/763/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 with which tractors must comply
pursuant tonatio nal laws relate inter alia topassenger seats;
Whereas these 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 Council Directive 74/150/EEC of 4 March 1974 onthe approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to thetype-approval of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors, to be appliedin respect of each type of tractor(
3);
Whereas this Directive is intended to harmonize national provisions for
the design and installation of passenger seats on agricultural tractors butnot to standardize the requirements as to whether or not agriculturaltractors are to be fitted compulsorily with such seats; whereas it is notintended either tostandardize the requirements which enable tracto rs tobe fitted with one or more passenger seats; whereas the problems stilloutstanding with regard to passenger seats as one of the items appearingon the type-approval certificate must be resolved as soon as possible bysupplementing this Directive so that the requirements for the issue ofthe EEC type-approval may also be established for passenger seats,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
1. ‘Agricultural or forestry tractor' means any motor vehicle fitted
with wheels or endless tracks and having at least two axles, the mainfunction of which lies in its tractive power and which is speciallydesigned to tow, push, carry or power certain tools, machinery ortrailers intended for agricultural or forestry use. It may be equipped tocarry a load and be fitted with passenger seats.
▼
M1
2. This Directive shall apply only to tractors defined in paragraph 1,which are equipped with pneumatic tyres and which have at least twoaxles, a maximum design speed of between 6 and ►
M240 km/h ◄
and a track width of 1 250 mm or more.
▼B
Article 2
No Member State may refuse to grant EEC type-approval or national
type-approval on grounds relating to the passenger seats if the require-ments of the Annex have been satisfied.
(1) OJ No28, 17. 2. 1967, p. 462/67.
(2) OJ No42, 7. 3. 1967, p. 620/67.
(3) OJ NoL 84, 28. 3. 1974, p. 10.
1976L0763 — EN — 30.10.1997 — 002.001 — 3
▼B
Article 3
No Member State may refuse the registration or prohibit the sale, entry
into service or use of tractors on grounds relating to the passenger seatsif the requirements of the Annex have been satisfied.
Article 4
Any amendments necessary toadapt the requirements o f the Annex to
technical progress shall be adopted in accordance with the procedurelaid down in Article 13 of Directive 74/150/EEC.
Article 5
1. Member States shall bring into force the provisions necessary in
order to comply with this Directive within 18 months of its notificationand shall forthwith inform the Commission 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 6
This Directive is addressed tothe Member States.
1976L0763 — EN — 30.10.1997 — 002.001 — 4
▼B
ANNEX
I. GENERAL RULES FOR CONSTRUCTION AND FITTING
1. Each seat must be soplaced that the passenger is in nodanger and creates
noimpediment todriving the tracto r.
2. Each seat must be firmly fixed and properly attached according to the type
of tractor, to a structural member of the tractor (chassis, roll-over protec-tion device, platform, etc.).
3. The structural member concerned must be sufficiently strong to support a
laden passenger seat.
II. SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION RULES
1. Each seat must be at least 400 mm wide and at least 300 mm deep.2. Each seat must be fitted with a back-rest not less than 200 mm nor more
than 250 mm high which incorporates a lateral support. The above dimen-sions shall not apply if there is a closed bulkhead behind the passenger.The seat cushion shall be padded or flexible.
3. A suitable rest must be provided for the passenger’s feet.4. There must be a clearance of at least 920 mm above the surface of the
passenger seat. However, where a tractor satisfies the requirementsrelating to the driver’s protection and seating, but its construction does notallow for such a clearance for the passenger, the clearance may be reducedto 800 mm, provided that adequate padding is provided immediately abovethe passenger seat at the level of the roof.
The upper part of the clearance allowed for the passenger may only be
limited at the rear by a radius not exceeding 300 mm (see appendeddrawing). The vertical clearance is the vertical open space between thefront edge of the seat and the roof of the tractor.
5. The passenger seat must not add to the overall width of the tractor.6. There must not be more than one passenger seat per mudguard, where this
is the mounting point.
1976L0763 — EN — 30.10.1997 — 002.001 — 5
▼B
Appendix