2013/0105 (COD)

OPINION OF THE COMMISSION pursuant to Article 294(7)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, on the European Parliament's amendments to the Council's position

concerning the proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEANPARLIAMENT AND OF THECOUNCIL amending Council Directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996 laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorized dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorized weights in international traffic

(Text with EEA relevance)

1. Introduction

Article 294(7)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union provides that the Commission is to deliver an opinion on the amendments proposed by the European Parliament at second reading. The Commission sets out its opinion below on the amendments proposed by the Parliament.

2. Background

Date of transmission of the proposal to the European Parliament and to the Council (COM(2013)195 final – 2013/0105 COD): || 16 April 2013

Date of the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee: || 11 July 2013

Date of the position of the European Parliament, first reading: || 15 April 2014

Date of transmission of the amended proposal: || [[1]]

Date of adoption of the Council's position at first reading:**: || 16 October 2014

Date of adoption of European Parliament's amendments

at second reading [P8_TC2-COD(2013)0105] 10 March 2015

3. Objective of the Commission proposal

Directive 96/53/EC establishes maximum dimensions of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and buses in international traffic and their maximum weights in international traffic (Member States are allowed to go beyond these dimensions or weights in national traffic under certain conditions).

The main objective of the proposal [COM(2013) 195 final] is to make HGVs and buses greener and safer by authorising weights and dimensions which exceed current limits in certain cases and under determined conditions, where improvements are currently not feasible with the limitations set out by the Directive in its current version.

4. Opinion of the Commission on the amendments by the European Parliament in second reading

The European Parliament adopted in second reading a consolidated text which contains a number of amendments to the text of the Council's position at first reading. The text is the result of negotiations between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission. The Commission accepts all the amendments adopted by the European Parliament.

5. Conclusion

Pursuant to Article 293(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Commission amends its proposal as set out above.

[1] The Commission did not prepare an amended proposal but expressed its views on the Parliament’s amendments in the ‘Commission Communication on the action taken on opinions and resolutions adopted by Parliament at the July 2014 part-session’ (document SP(2014)471) sent to the European Parliament on 9 July 2014.

** The Commission expressed its views on the amendments of the Council in its Communication concerning the position of the Council on the adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996 laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic [document COM (2015) 7 final] dated 12 January 2015.