1976L0760 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 006.001 — 1
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►B COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of27July1976
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the rear registration plate
lampsformotorvehicles andtheir trailers
(76/760/EEC)
(OJ L 262, 27.9.1976, p. 85)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Council Directive 87/354/EEC of 25 June 1987 L 192 43 11.7.1987
►M2Commission Directive 97/31/EC of 11 June 1997 L 171 49 30.6.1997
Amended by:
►A1Act of Accession of Greece L 291 17 19.11.1979
►A2Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal L 302 23 15.11.1985
►A3Act of Accession of Austria, Sweden and Finland C 241 21 29.8.1994
(adapted by Council Decision 95/1/EC, Euratom, ECSC) L 1 1 1.1.1995
►A4Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Czech Republic, the
Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia,the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of
Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak
Republic and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the EuropeanUnion isfoundedL 236 33 23.9.2003
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COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of27July1976
on the approximationof the lawsofthe Member States relating to
the rear registration plate lamps for motor vehicles and their trai-
lers
(76/760/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 rear registration plate
lamps;
Whereasthos e requirementsdiffer from one Member State to another;
whereas it is therefore necessary that all Member States adopt the same
requirements either in addition to or in place of their existing rules, in
order, in particular, to allow the EEC type-approval procedure whichwasthe s ubject of Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970on the approximation of the lawsof the Member Statesrelating to thetype-approval of motor vehiclesand their trailers(
3), to be introduced
in respect of each type of vehicle;
Whereasin Directive 76/756/CEE (4), the Council laid down the
common requirements for the installation of lighting and light-signal-
ling deviceson motor vehiclesand their trailers ;
Whereasa harmonized type-approval procedure for rear regis tration
plate lamps makes it possible for each Member State to check compli-
ance with the common construction and testing requirements and to
inform the other Member Statesof itsfindingsby s ending a copy ofthe component type-approval certificate completed for each type ofrear registration plate lamp; whereas the placing of an EEC componenttype-approval mark on all rear registration plate lamps manufactured in
conformity with the approved type obviatesany need for technical
checks on these rear registration plate lamps in the other MemberStates;
Whereasit isdes irable to take into account the technical requirements
adopted by the UN Economic Commission for Europe in its RegulationNo 4 (‘Uniform provisions for the approval of devices for the illumina-tion of rear registration plates of motor vehicles (except motor cycles)and their trailers’) (
5), which isannexed to the Agreement of 20 March
1958 concerning the adoption of uniform conditionsfor approval and
reciprocal recognition of approval for motor vehicle equipment andparts;
Whereasthe approximation of national lawsrelating to motor vehicles
entailsreciprocal recognition by Member Statesof the checkscarriedout by each of them on the basis on the common requirements,1976L0760 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 006.001 — 2
(1) OJ No C 76, 7. 4. 1975, p. 37.
(2) OJ No C 248, 29. 10. 1975, p. 23.
(3) OJ No L 42, 23. 2. 1970, p. 1.
(4) See page 1 of thisOfficial Journal.
(5) Economic Commission for Europe, Document E/ECE/324, Addendum 3,
Amendment 1 of 29 October 1975.
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HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
1. Member Statess hall grant EEC component type-approval for any
type of rear registration plate lamp which satisfies the construction andtesting requirements laid down in the relevant Annexes.
2. The Member State which hasgranted EEC component type-
approval shall take the measures required in order to verify thatproduction modelsconform to the approved type, in s o far asthisisnecessary and if need be in cooperation with the competent authorities
in the other Member States. Such verification shall be limited to spot
checks.
Article 2
Member States shall for each type of rear registration plate lamp which
they approve pursuant to Article 1, issue to the manufacturer an EEC
component type-approval mark conforming to the model shown in
Annex 1, Appendix 3.
Member States shall take all appropriate measures to prevent the use of
marks liable to create confusion between rear registration plate lampswhich have been type-approved pursuant to Article 1, and otherdevices.
Article 3
1. No Member State may prohibit the placing on the market of rear
registration plate lamps on grounds relating to their construction ormethod of functioning if they bear the EEC component type-approval
mark.
2. Nevertheless, a Member State may prohibit the placing on the
market of rear registration plate lamps bearing the EEC componenttype-approval mark which consistently fail to conform to the approved
type.
That State shall forthwith inform the other Member States and the
Commission of the measures taken, specifying the reasons for its deci-sion.
Article 4
The competent authoritiesof the Member Statess hall inform each
other, by meansof the procedure s pecified in Article 4 (6) of Directive70/156/EEC, of each approval which they have granted, refused orwithdrawn pursuant to this Directive.
Article 5
1. If the Member State which hasgranted EEC component type-
approval findsthat a number of rear regis tration plate lampsbearingthe same EEC component type-approval mark do not conform to thetype which it has approved, it shall take the necessary measures toensure that production models conform to the approved type. The
competent authorities of that State shall advise those of the other
Member Statesof the meas urestaken, which may, where there isconsistent failure to conform, extend to withdrawal of EEC componenttype-approval. The said authorities shall take the same measures if theyare informed by the competent authortiesof another Member State ofsuch failure to conform.1976L0760 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 006.001 — 3
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2. The competent authoritiesof Member Statess hall within one
month inform each other of any withdrawal of EEC component type-approval, and of the reasons for such a measure.
Article 6
Any decision taken pursuant to the provisions adopted in implementa-
tion of thisDirective to refus e or withdraw EEC type-approval for a
rear registration plate lamp or prohibit its placing on the market oruse shall set out in detail the reasons on which it is based. Such deci-sions shall be notified to the party concerned, who shall at the sametime be informed of the remediesavailable to him under the lawsinforce in the Member Statesand of the time limitsallowed for the exer-
cise of such remedies.
Article 7
No Member State may refuse to grant EEC type-approval or national
type-approval of a vehicle on groundsrelating to itsrear regis tration
plate lampsif thes e bear the EEC component type-approval mark andare fitted in accordance with the requirementslaid down in Directive76/756/EEC.
Article 8
No Member State may refuse or prohibit the sale or registration, entry
into service or use of a vehicle on grounds relating to its rear registra-tion plate lampsif thes e bear the EEC component type-approval mark
and are fitted in accordance with the requirementslaid down in Direc-
tive 76/756/EEC.
Article 9
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 km/h, and itstrailers, with the exception of vehicles which run on rails and of agri-
cultural and forestry tractors and all mobile machinery.
Article 10
Any amendments necessary to adjust the requirements of the Annexes
to take account of technical progress shall be adopted in accordancewith the procedure laid down in Article 13 of Directive 70/156/EEC.
Article 11
1. Member States shall adopt and publish the provisions necessary
in order to comply with thisDirective before 1 July 1977 and s hallforthwith inform the Commission thereof. They shall apply these provi-sions with effect from 1 October 1977 at the latest.
2. Once thisDirective hasbeen notified, the Member Statess hall
also ensure that the Commission is informed, in sufficient time for it
to submit its comments, of any draft laws, regulations or administrativeprovisions which they propose to adopt in the field covered by thisDirective.
Article 12
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.1976L0760 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 006.001 — 4
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LISTOFANNEXES
ANNEX I: Administrative provisions for type approval
Appendix 1: Information document
Appendix 2: Type-approval certificate
Appendix 3: Modelsof the EC component type-
approval mark
ANNEX II: Scope and technical requirements1976L0760 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 006.001 — 5
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ANNEX I
ADMINISTRATIVEPROVISIONSFORTYPEAPPROVAL
1. APPLICATION FOR EC COMPONENT TYPE-APPROVAL
1.1. The application for EC component type-approval pursuant to Article 3
(4) of Directive 70/156/EEC of a type of rear registration plate lamp
shall be submitted by the manufacturer.
1.2. A model for the information document isgiven in Appendix 1.
1.3. The following must be submitted to the technical service responsible
for conducting the type-approval tests:
1.3.1. two samples, equipped with the lamp or lamps recommended.
2. MARKINGS
2.1. The devices submitted for EC component type-approval must bear:
2.1.1. the trade name or mark of the manufacturer;
2.1.2. in the case of lamps with replaceable light sources: the type(s) of fila-
ment lamp prescribed;
2.1.3. in the case of lamps with non-replaceable light sources: the nominal
voltage and wattage.
2.2. These markings shall be clearly legible and indelible and shall be
affixed to the illuminating surface, or to one of the illuminating
surfaces, of the device. They shall be visible from the exterior when
the device isfitted to the vehicle.
2.3. Each device shall have sufficient space for the component type-
approval mark. This space shall be indicated on the drawings referred
to in Appendix 1.
3. GRANTING OF EC COMPONENT TYPE-APPROVAL
3.1. If the relevant requirements are satisfied, EC type-approval pursuant to
Article 4 (3) and, if applicable, 4 (4) of Directive 70/156/EEC shall be
granted.
3.2. A model for the EC type-approval certificate isgiven in Appendix 2.3.3. An approval number in accordance with Annex VII to Directive 70/156/
EEC shall be assigned to each type of rear registration plate lamp
approved. The same Member State shall not assign the same number
to another type of rear registration plate lamp.
3.4. Where EC component type approval isreques ted for a type of lighting
and light-signalling device comprising a rear registration plate lamp and
other lamps, a single EC component type-approval number may be
assigned provided that the rear registration plate lamp complies with
the requirementsof thisDirective and that each of the other lamps
forming part of the lighting and light-signalling device for which EC
component type approval is requested complies with the separate Direc-
tive applying to it.
4. EC COMPONENT TYPE-APPROVAL MARK
4.1. In addition to the markingsreferred to in item 2.1, every rear regis tra-
tion plate lamp conforming to the type approved pursuant to this
Directive shall bear an EC component type-approval mark.
4.2. This mark shall consist of:4.2.1. a rectangle surrounding the letter ‘e’ followed by the distinguishing
number or lettersof the Member State which hasgranted type approval:
1 for Germany
2 for France
3 for Italy
4 for the Netherlands
5 for Sweden
6 for Belgium1976L0760 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 006.001 — 6
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7 for Hungary
8 for the Czech Republic
9 for Spain
11 for the United Kingdom12 for Austria13 for Luxembourg17 for Finland18 for Denmark
20 for Poland
21 for Portugal
23 for Greece
26 for Slovenia
27 for Slovakia29 for Estonia32 for Latvia36 for LithuaniaCY for Cyprus
IRL for IrelandMT for Malta;
4.2.2. in the vicinity of the rectangle the ‘base approval number’ contained in
section 4 of the type-approval number referred to in Annex VII of
Directive 70/156/EEC, preceded by the two figuresindicating the
sequence number assigned to the most recent major technical amend-
ment to Directive 76/760/EEC on the date EEC type approval was
granted. In thisDirective the s equence number is00;
4.2.3. an additional symbol as follows: the letter ‘L’.
4.3. The EC component type-approval mark shall be affixed to the lens of
the lamp or one of the lenses in such a way as to be indelible and
clearly legible even when the lampsare fitted to the vehicle.
4.4. Examplesof the EC component type-approval mark are given in
Appendix 3, Figure 1.
4.5. Where a single EC component type-approval number is issued, as per
item 3.4 above, for a type of lighting and light-signalling device
comprising a rear registration plate lamp and other lamps, a single EC
component type-approval mark may be affixed, consisting of:
4.5.1. a rectangle surrounding the letter ‘e’ followed by the distinguishing
number or lettersof the Member State which hasgranted type approval
(see item 4.2.1);
4.5.2. the base approval number (see item 4.2.2, first half-sentence);
4.5.3. if necessary, the required arrow, in so far as it relates to the lamp
assembly as a whole.
4.6. Thismark may be located anywhere on the lampswhich are grouped,
combined or reciprocally incorporated, provided that:
4.6.1. it is visible after the installation of the lamps;
4.6.2. no light-transmitting components of the grouped, combined or recipro-
cally incorporated lamps can be removed without simultaneously
removing the approval mark.
4.7. The identification symbol for each lamp corresponding to each Direc-
tive pursuant to which EC component type approval was granted,
together with the sequence number (see item 4.2.2, second half-
sentence) and, where necessary, the letter ‘D’ and the required arrow
shall be marked:
4.7.1. either on the appropriate light-emitting surface;1976L0760 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 006.001 — 7
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4.7.2. or in a group, in such a way that each of the grouped, combined or reci-
procally incorporated lampsmay be clearly identified.
4.8. The dimensions of the components of this mark must not be less than
the minimum dimensions specified for individual marks by the various
Directivespurs uant to which EC component type approval wasgranted.
4.9. Examplesof an EC component type-approval mark for a lamp that is
grouped, combined or reciprocally incorporated with other lampsare
given in Appendix 3, Figure 2.
5. MODIFICATIONS OF THE TYPE AND AMENDMENTS TO
APPROVALS
5.1. In the case of modifications of the type approved pursuant to this Direc-
tive, the provisions of Article 5 of Directive 70/156/EEC shall apply.
6. CONFORMITY OF PRODUCTION
6.1. As a general rule, measures to ensure the conformity of production shall
be taken in accordance with the provisions laid down in Article 10 of
Directive 70/156/EEC.
6.2. The luminance B of any device picked at random from a mass
produced batch shall not be lower than 2 cd/m2and, in the formula for
the gradient, the factor 2 may be replaced by 3 (see paragraph 9 of the
documentsreferred to in item 2.1 of Annex II to thisDirective).1976L0760 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 006.001 — 8
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Appendix 1
InformationdocumentNo…
relatingtotheECcomponenttypeapprovalofrear registrationplatelamps
(Directive 76/760/EEC, as last amended byDirective …/…/EC)
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Appendix 2
MODEL
(maximum format: A4 (210 × 297 mm))
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Appendix 3
EXAMPLES OF THE EC COMPONENT TYPE-APPROVAL MARK
Figure1
The device bearing the EC component type-approval mark shown above is a
rear registration plate lamp, type approved in Germany (e1) pursuant to this
Directive (00) under the base approval number 1471.1976L0760 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 006.001 — 14
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Figure2
Simplifiedmarkingofgrouped,combinedorreciprocallyincorporatedlampswhentwoormore
lampsarepartofthesameassembly
(The vertical and horizontal lines schematize the shape of the light-signalling device. The are not part
of the approval mark).
MODEL A
MODEL B
MODEL C
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Note: The three examples of approval marks, models A, B and C, represent
three possible variants of the marking of a lighting and light-signalling
device when two or more lampsare part of the s ame unit of grouped,
combined or reciprocally incorporated lamps. This approval mark shows
that the device wasapproved in Germany (e1) under the bas e approval
number 1712 and comprises:
— a retro reflector of class IA approved in accordance with Council
Directive 76/757/EEC (OJ No L 262, 27. 9. 1976, p. 32), sequence
No 02,
— a rear direction indicator of category 2a approved in accordance with
Council Directive 76/759/EEC (OJ No L 262, 27. 9. 1976, p. 71),
sequence No 01,
— a red rear position lamp (R) approved in accordance with Annex II to
Council Directive 76/758/EEC (OJ No L 262, 27. 9. 1976, p. 54),
sequence No 02,
— a rear fog lamp (F) approved in accordance with Council Directive
77/538/EEC (OJ No L 220, 29. 8. 1977, p. 60), sequence No 00,
— a reversing lamp (AR) approved in accordance with Council Direc-
tive 77/539/EEC (OJ No L 220, 29. 8. 1977, p. 72), sequence No 00,
— a stop lamp with two levels of intensity (S2) approved in accordance
with Annex II to Directive 76/758/EEC, sequence No 02,
— a rear registration plate lampe (L) approved in accordance with
Directive 76/760/EEC, sequence No 00.1976L0760 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 006.001 — 16
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ANNEX II
SCOPEANDTECHNICALREQUIREMENTS
1. SCOPE
ThisDirective appliesto rear regis tration plate lampsfor motor vehicles
and their trailers.
2. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
2.1. The technical requirements are those set out in paragraphs 1 and 5 to 9
and Annexes 3 to 5 of UN-ECE Regulation No 4 which consists of a
consolidation of the following documents:
— the Regulation in itsoriginal form (00) (1),
— the Supplement 1 to Regulation No 4 (2),
— the Supplement 2 to Regulation No 4 (3),
— the Supplements3 and 4 to Regulation No 4 (4),
— the Supplement 5 to Regulation No 4 (5),
except that:
2.1.1. Where reference ismade to ‘Regulation No 48’, thiss hall be under-
stood as ‘Directive 76/756/EEC’.
2.1.2. Where reference ismade to ‘Regulation No 37’, thiss hall be under-
stood as ‘Annex VII to Directive 76/761/EEC’:1976L0760 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 006.001 — 17
(1)E/ECE/324/C148/C147/C147/C147/C149/C147/C147/C147/C150Add. 3.E/ECE/TRANS/505
(2)E/ECE/324/C148/C147/C147/C147/C149/C147/C147/C147/C150Add. 3/Amend. 1 and …/Amend. 1/Corr. 1.E/ECE/TRANS/505
(3)E/ECE/324/C148/C147/C147/C147/C149/C147/C147/C147/C150Add. 3/Amend. 2.E/ECE/TRANS/505
(4)E/ECE/324/C148/C147/C147/C147/C149/C147/C147/C147/C150Add. 3/Amend. 3.E/ECE/TRANS/505
(5) TRANS/WP.29/447.