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DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(73)880
Vol.1973/0163

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES
COM(73)880final
Brussels,4June1973
OPINIONOFTHECOMMISSION
■u *
of4June1973
addressed -to-theGovernmentoftheGrandDuchyof"Luxembourgonan
amendmenttoArticle4(a)oftheamendedGrand-DucalDecree
of23November1955governingtrafficonallpublic
highways
OOM(73)880final

OPIfTTOlTOFTHECOTSjrSSIOT
of4Jane1973
addressedtotheGovernmentoftheGrandDuchyofLuxembourgonan
amendmenttoArticle4(a)oftheamendedGrand-DucalDecreeof23November
1955governingtrafficonallpublichighways
InaccordancewithArticle1oftheCouncilDecisionof21March1962
instituting aprocedureforpriorexamination ajidconsultation inrespect
ofcertainlaws,regulations andadministrative provisionsconcerning
transportproposedinMemberStates,theLuxembourgGovernmentcommunicated
totheCommissionbyletterof27April1973fromitsPermanent
Representative totheEuropeanCommunities ,theamendmentswhichitproposes
tomaketoArticle4(a)oftheamendedGrand-DucalDecreeof23November
1955governingtrafficonallpublichighways.
TheletterfromthePermanentRepresentative reachedtheCommission on
2May1973andtheLuxembourgGovernmenthasalsonotifiedtheother
MemberStatesoftheproposedamendments.
TheCommissionhasnotconsidereditnecessarytoconsulttheother
MemberStatesunderArticle2(3)oftheCouncilDecisionof21March1962.
I.
PursuanttoArticle2oftheCouncilDecisionof21March1962,the
CommissionherebydeliversthefollowingOpinion:
1.TheproposedamendmentsconcernArticle4(a)oftheamendedGrand-
DucalDecreeof23November1955governingtrafficonallpublichighways,
whichconcernsthemaximumlength,includingtheattachingdevice,of
ladenorunladenvehiclesregisteredforthefirsttimeintheGrandDuchy
ofLuxembourgafter31December1966.
OJNo23,3April1962,p.720.

-2-
2•Amendment changing themaximum length ofsingle-axle trailers and
ofinterlinked tandem-axle vehicles
TheCommission notes that thepurpose oftheproposed amendment isto
increase themaximum length ofsingle-axle trailers from 8to10metres
where thepermissible maximum weight isgreater than 2500kg.
This special type ofvehicle isnotmentioned intheCommission proposal
1of21June 1971 foraCouncil Directive concerning theweights andsizes
ofcommercial road vehicles andcertain additional technical requirements .
Moreover ,theCommission hasnotyetproposed anyharmonized rules
governing this type ofvehicle under point 2.4*1 *ofAnnex IIBofthe
Council Directive of6February 1970 ontheapproximation ofthelaws
oftheMember States relating tothetype-approval ofmotor vehicles
arid their trailers .
TheCommission considers that ,inthecase atissue ,theamendment of
theexisting Luxembourg regulations ,which ,infact ,aims atalignment
with theregulations ofother Community countries ,does notcreate a
situation contrary totheinterests oftheCommunity .But itwould
point outthat &single-axle trailer isoneofthetwocomponents ofa
vehicle combination ;itwould therefore draw theattention ofthe
Luxembourg Government tothefact that theadoption ofaCommunity
solution inrespect ofweights andsizes ofvehicles ,inparticular as
regards thelength andturning circle ofvehicle combinations ^might
require anadaptation ofthemeasures nowproposed .
3*Amendment changing themaximum length ofartioulatod vehicles
composed ofatractive unit and asemi-trailer
TheCommission notes that thepurpose oftheproposed amendment isto
increase themaximum length ofarticulated vehicles from 15to15*50 metres .
0JNoC90,11September 1971 ,p*25 .
^OJNoL42,23February 1970 ,p.1.

-3-
This amendment isinaccordance vriLth therelevent provision ofthe
Commission proposal of21June 1971 referred tounder 2.above .Itis
also inaccordance with theCouncil guidelines onthesubject ,formulated
atthemeeting of17and18May1972 andrestated atthemeeting of
6and 7November 1972 .
TheCommission considers that ,althou{3i negotiations areatpresent
taking place "between thenine Member States with aview toarriving
atanagreement onweights andsizes ,theapplication oftheamendment
proposed "bytheLuxembourg Government relating tothelength ofarticulated
vehicles isnot inthecircumstances such astoimpede thesearch fora
Community solution .
II.
4»Inconclusion ,theCommission raises noobjections totheamendments
proposed bytheLuxembourg Government .
5.TheCommission isinforming theother Member States ofthis Opinion .
Done atBrussels ,4June 1973
For the Commission
The President
Pranoois »-Xavier ORTOLI
t