if it COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 14.05.1996 
COM(96) 208 final - 486 SYN 
Re-examined proposal for a 
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 
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 
(presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 c (d) 
of the EC Treaty) 

Re-examined proposal for a 
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 
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 
On 14 March 1996 the European Parliament amended the Common Position adopted by the Council 
on 8 December 1995 on the above-mentioned proposal. The three amendments of the Parliament are 
annexed. 
Under Article 189C, subparagraph (d) of the EC Treaty the Commission has reexamined its proposal 
and has decided to accept Amendment No. 1. 
As regards amendments 2 and 3 Article 4(6) of the proposal states 
"Member States may allow vehicles or vehicle combinations used for goods transport and registered 
or put into circulation before the implementation of this Directive to circulate in their territory until 
31 December 2006 with dimensions exceeding those bid down in points 1.1, 1.2, 1.4 to 1.8,4.2 and 
4.4 of Annex I by virtue of differing national provisions or methods of measurement." 
Given that this article can allow existing registered vehicles and vehicle combinations to continue to 
operate until the end of 2006 the Commission does not feel that amendments 2 and 3 seeking 
additional derogations are appropriate. In particular, to allow derogations beyond 2006 jeopardises 
the objective of harmonisation and also has negative consequences for manufacturers adapting their 
production to meet the Directive. 
Amendments 2 and 3 are, thus, not acceptable to the Commission. 
The Commission, therefore, proposes to amend the Common Position by the inclusion of a new 
recital 15a, as follows: 
Common position of the Council Revised Proposal 
Recital 15a (new) 
Whereas, to prevent excessive road 
damage and to ensure manoeuvrability, 
when authorizing and using vehicles 
preference should be given to pneumatic 
or equivalent suspension rather than 
mechanical suspension, certain maximum 
axle loads should not be exceeded, and 
the vehicle must be capable of turning 
through 360' within certain limit values 
for the path followed; 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
27 February 1996 A4-0044/1 
AMENDMENT 1 
tabled by the Committee on Transport and Tourism 
RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING (A4-0044/96) 
Rapporteur: Mr Wijsenbeek 
MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS OF ROAD VEHICLES 
Common position of the Council 
(C4-0004/96 - 00/0486(SYN)) 
Common position of the Council Amendment 
(Amendment 1) 
Recital 15a (new) 
Whereas, tP Prevent excessiye road 
damage and to ensure manoeuvrability. 
when authorising gn<a using vehicles 
preference should be given tP 
pneumatic or equivalent suspension 
rather than mechanical suspension, 
certain maximum axle loads should not 
be exceeded, and the vehicle must be 
capable of turning through 3$Q° 
within certain limit values for the 
path followed; 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
27 February 1996 A4-0044/2 
AMENDMENT 2 
tabled by the Committee on Transport and Tourism 
RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING (A4-0044/96) 
Rapporteur: Mr Wijsenbeek 
MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS OF ROAD VEHICLES 
Common position of the Council 
(C4-0004/96 - 00/0486(SYN)) 
Common position of the Council Amendment 
(Amendment 2) 
Article 4(6a) (new) 
£&. Before fchg ens! _oJ £he_ 
transitional period referred to in 
paragraph 6. the Commission shall 
report on anv exemptions promoted bv 
developments which it should be 
possible 4& grant even after il 
December 2006 and, if necessary, put 
forward proposals thereon. 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
12 March 1996 
AMENDMENT 3 
by Mr Wijsenbeek, on behalf of the ELDR group A4-0044/3 
(A4-0044/96) RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING 
by Mr Wijsenbeek 
MAXIMUM AUTHORIZED WEIGHTS AND DIMENSIONS FOR CERTAIN ROAD VEHICLES 
Common position of the Council C4-0004/96 - 00/0486(SYN) 
Common position of the Council Amendment 
(Amendment 3) 
Recital 14 
Whereas the maximum authorized width 
of 2,50 m for vehicles intended for 
the carriage of goods can leave 
insufficient internal space for the 
efficient loading of pallets, which 
has given rise to the application of 
different tolerances beyond that 
level in the legislation of the 
Member States concerning domestic 
traffic; whereas a general adaptation 
to the current situation is therefore 
necessary in order to provide for 
clarity in technical requirements, 
bearing in mind the road safety 
aspects of these characteristics; Whereas the maximum authorized width 
of 2,50 m for vehicles intended for 
the carriage of goods and the maximum 
lengths laid down in point 1.1 of 
Annex I can leave insufficient 
internal space for the efficient 
loading of pallets, which has given 
rise to the application of different 
tolerances beyond that level in the 
legislation of the Member States 
concerning domestic traffic; whereas 
a general adaptation to the current 
situation is therefore necessary in 
order to provide for clarity in 
technical requirements, bearing in 
mind the road safety aspects of these 
characteristics; 
€ 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(96) 208 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 87 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-219-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-03978-0 
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