ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
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DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(74)923
Vol.1974/0155

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(74)923final
Brussels,21June1974
COMMISSION OPINION
of21June1974
totheGovernment oftheNetherlands
concerningmeasuresfortheimplementation ofCouncil
Regulation(EEC)No543/69
ontheharmonization ofcertainsociallegislationrelating
toroadtransport
COM(74)923final

1*Initsletter of9July 1973 theNetherlands Permanent Representation
sent theCommission draft provisions fortheimplementation ofCouncil
Regulation (EEC)No.543/69of25March 1969 ,^asamended byCouncil
2Regulation (EEC)No.515/72of28February 1972 »foranOpinion .
Thepurpose oftheplanned rules istomake provision fortheexemptions
referred toinArticle 14a (b)ofthat Regulation forcertain transport
operations over short distances ,
2.Theproposed provisions stipulate ,onthebasis ofthesecond indent of
Article 14a (b),that inthefollowing cases crew members engaged in
transport operations over short distances shall beexempt from the
obligation tomake entries inanindividual control book :
(a)Test anddemonstration drives bymotor vehicle mechanics .
This applies toagroup ofemployees whose working time isgoverned
bytheLabour Lawof1919 *Such operations constitute only asmall
part oftheir daily work ,sothat there isnodanger ofthepermissible
driving periods being exceeded .
(b)Transport operations onownaccount carried outbyself-employed
operators andsenior employees .
This usually applies tosmall andmedium–sized undertakings .Where
such operations take place within a50kmradius ,exemption from
theobligation tokeep anindividual control book shall begranted .
Should itbenecessary toexceed that distance occasionally ,the
exemption from theobligation tokeep anindividual control book
shall bemade subject totheproviso that adaily sheet iscompleted
whenever that distance isexceeded .Exemptions shall begranted
only toindividuals andshall bevalid foroneyear only .
rol77 ::xoi ». r-.
2
O.J. No.L67,20March 1972 ,p.11•••/•••

-2
(c)Transportoperationscarriedoutbycrewswithfixedworkinghours
Exemptionhasalready "beengrantedinnumerousseparatecanesof
transportoperations "bygoodsvehiclesbelov3.5metrictons,
whichareoutsidethescopeof^Regulation (EEC)iro'543/09twhere
thecrewhadfixedworkinghoursnotexceeding12hours(0J00to
1900hours)onworkingdays.
Inthecaseoftransportoperationsonownaccountthisappliesto
crewstiedtotheworkingtimeinindustrialorcommercialfirms
(nowadaysgenerally42hoursporweek).Drivingoftenconstitutes
onlyapartoftheirda,ilywork,sothattheLabourLawappliesto
them,too.Exemptioncanalsobegrantedinthecaseofcarriage
ofgoodsforhireorrewardwherefixedworkinghoursareless
usualbutmayapplyinthecaseofcollectionordeliveryservices.
Theintentionisalsotograntindividualexemptionsinthecasof
transportoperationsbygoodsvehicleswithaweightexceeding
3.5metrictons,withtheactualworkinghoursspecifiedmore
preciselyandalsolimited.
(d)Occasionaltransportoperationsbygoodsvehiclesforwhichso-called
non-personal exemptionis.granted.
Exemptionsinsuchcasesareatpresentgrantedforgoodsvehicles
havingapermissible maximumall-upweightnotexceeding3.5metric
tonstothoseundertakings wherecheckshaveestablishedthataparti-*
eul&rmotorvehicleis.usaa.atdifferenttimesbyvariousmembersof
thepersonnelforshortjourneys(smallbuildingfirms,craft
undertakings ,etc.).ThestaffconcernedarecoveredbytheLabour
Law.Asaresultofthisrulepersonswhospendafewhoursdriving
neednotenteralltheirworkingandrestperiodsinfullinan
individualcontrolbook.Suchexemptionistobeindicatedbya
stickeronthevehicle.
•••/•••

TheCommissionfindsthattheproposedprovisionsareconsistent
withRegulation(E3C)NO.543/69.
Nevertheless ,itmustfirstbepointedout,withreferencetoall
theexenptions,inparticularthosereferredtounder(b),that
theyarerestrictedtotransportoperationscarriedoutwithin
aradiusof50kmfromtheplacewherethevehicleisbased.
Secondly,itmustbepointedoutthat,inthecaseofthetransport
operationsenownaccountcarriedoutbyself-employed operatorsand
senioremployeesreferredtounder(b),theproposedrestrictionof
thevalidityofsuchexemptiontooneyearandthegrantofexemptions
toindividuals cannotberegardedasappropriate measureswithinthe
meaningofthesecondindentofArticle14a(b).Similarly,inthe
caseofthetransportoperationsreferredtounder(c)carriedout
bycrewswithfixedworkinghours,itisuncertainwhetherthefixing
ofama-Tnrmimdailyworkingtimewouldensureadequatecontrolover
thema-Htmimdailydrivingperiods.TheNetherlands Governmentis
thereforerequestedtoprovideforadditionalcontrolmeasuresfor
suchcases.
Itmustbepointedout,inconclusion,that,especiallyinthecase
ofthetransportoperationsreferredtounder(b),(c)and(d),
insofarastheyaresubjecttotheprovisionsoftheCommunityRegu­
lation,itlaintheinterestofroadsafetyandthecontrolof
workinghoursthatcertainvehiclesshouldbefittedwithrecording
equipment,pursuanttothefirstindentofArticle14a(b).That
Articleprovidesforexemptionfromtheobligationtokeepan
individualcontrolbookifthevehiclesinquestionarefitted
withrecordingequipmentconformingtoArticle20ofCouncilRejulstion
(EEC)No.3463/T^ontheintroductionofrecordingequipmentin
/o"^Jv.lvi;70roadtransport.Suchequipmentcouldhaveagreaterandtoore
certaineffectasregardsroadsafetyandtheprotectionofworkers
thanwouldtheproposedprovisions.TheNetherlandsGovernment
shouldthereforereviewtheprovisionsinquestionfromthisangle
beforelayingdowntheproceduresfortheirimplementation.

OnthesegroundstheCommissionherebydeliversafavourableopinion
subjecttothereservations setoutabove.
Donsr.tr»ru.-j8elsj21Juno1974
DoneatBrussels.
PortheCommission
ThG/.resident
Francois–LavicrOfifTOLI