No C 47/46 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 27. 2. 75 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a unanimous  vote: 
The Committee  approves  the proposal  for a Directive 
and makes  the following  comments: 
1. The  Committee  is pleased  to see  that  the 
Commission  is pushing  ahead  with  its work  on 
harmonization  in areas  — such  as that  of anchorages 
for safety  belts  — which  are of particular  relevance 
to road  safety.  Indeed  in its Opinion  on the proposal 
for a Directive  on the  strength  of seats  and  their 
anchorages  the  Committee  urged  adoption  of a 
global  solution  for the various  safety  aspects  (safety 
belts,  anchorage  of belts  and  of seats). 
1.1. Similarly,  the  Committee  considers  that  the 
Commission  should  submit  practical  proposals  with 
regard  to children's  safety  seats  as soon  as possible. 2. Article  6 (2) of the  proposal  for  a Directive 
states  that  once  this  Directive  has  been  notified  the 
Member  States  shall  ensure  that  the  Commission  is 
informed  in sufficient  time  to enable  it to submit  its 
comments,  of  any  draft  laws,  regulations  or 
administrative  provisions  which  they  are  proposing 
to adopt  in the field  covered  by the Directive. 
2.1. The  Committee  considers  this  provision  to be 
too vague  since  it does  not clearly  stipulate  that  the 
Member  States  must  provide  the  requisite 
information.  The  Committee  would  prefer  a clearer 
wording  on the  lines  of 'the  Member  States  shall 
inform'  — a wording  which  has  already  been  used 
in other  draft  Directives. 
Done  at Brussels,  19 December  1974. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
Opinion  on the  proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the  approximation  of the  laws 
of the  Member  States  relating  to statutory  plates  and  inscriptions  for motor  vehicles 
and their  trailers,  and  their  location  and  method  of fixing 
The text  referred  to the Committee  was  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 113  of 25 September  1974,  pages  63 to 66. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 2 September  1974,  the  Council  referred  the  abovementioned  proposal  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  under  Article  100  of the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  drew  up its Opinion  at its 126th  plenary  session, 
held in Brussels  on 19 December  1974. 
The Opinion  is published  below: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the referral  on 2 September  1974 
by the Council  of the European  Communities,  of the 
proposal  for  a  Council  Directive  on  the 
approximation  of the  laws  of the  Member  States 
relating  to statutory  plates  and  inscriptions  for motor  vehicles  and  their  trailers,  and  their  location 
and method  of fixing; 
Having  regard  to  Article  100  of  the  Treaty 
establishing  the European  Economic  Community; 
Having  regard  to the  decision  of its Bureau  of 
8 October  1974  instructing  the Section  for Industry, 
27. 2. 75 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 47/47 
Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services  to draw  up  an 
Opinion  and  a report  on the matter; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  adopted  by  the 
Section  for Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services 
at its meeting  on 4 December  1974; 
Having  regard  to the  report  submitted  by  the 
Rapporteur,  Mr Masprone; 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 126th  plenary 
session,  held  on 19 December  1974, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a unanimous  vote: 
1. The  Committee  approves  the proposal,  subject 
to the  following  comments: 
1.1. Article  5 (2)  of the  proposal  states  that  as 
soon  as this  Directive  has  been  notified  the Member 
States  shall  take  care  to inform  the Commission,  in 
sufficient  time  to enable  it to submit  its comments, 
of any  draft  laws,  regulations  or administrative 
provisions  which  they  intend  to adopt  in the  field 
covered  by the Directive. 
1.2. The  Committee  considers  this  paragraph  to 
be too  vague,  since  it does  not  clearly  stipulate  that 
the Member  States  must  provide  the  requisite 
information.  The  Committee  would  prefer  a clearer wording  on the  lines  of 'the  Member  States  shall 
inform'  — a wording  which  has  already  been  used 
in other  draft  Directives. 
2. As  regards  the particulars  which  are  to appear 
on the  plates,  the  Committee  feels  that  reference 
could  usefully  be made  to international  standards. 
Consequently  it trusts  that  the  standards  currently 
being  drawn  up by the ISO  will  be followed  as soon 
as possible.  More  specifically,  the  Committee 
requests  that  it should  be  permissible  for  the 
manufacturer's  name  (item  2.1.1  of the  Annex)  to 
appear  in  coded  form  and  for  the  vehicle 
identification  number  to be marked  in one  or two 
lines  (item  3.1.2).  Item  3.1.2  should  therefore  be 
changed  to read: 
'It may  be marked  either  in a single  line  without 
spaces  or separation  or in two  lines.  In the latter 
case,  the first  line  shall  contain  the six characters 
of the first  part  referred  to in item  3.1.1  and  the 
second  line  shall  contain  the  eight  characters  of 
the second  part.  Each  unused  position  shall  be 
filled  by a zero  in order  to obtain  the  required 
number  of characters.' 
Done  at Brussels,  19 December  1974. 
The Chairman  . 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE