ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (74)1231
Vol.1974/0197

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COMMISSION "QF"THEEUaOEMNXOMMOMIÏES
COM(74)1231final
Brussels,26July1974
^ Proposalfora
COUNCILDIRECTIVE
concerningtheapproximation ofthelawsofthe
MemberStatesrelatingtostatutoryplates,-and..inscriptions -for-»^
motorvehiclesandtheir-trailers,andtheir
locationendmethodoffixing
(submittedtotheCouncil "bytheCommission)
I
COïl(74)1231final

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
ThisproposaldirectiveistoformpartoftheCommunitytype-approval pro­
cedurereferredtoinCouncilDirective70/156/EECof6February1970(l).
Itooncerns,thetechnicalrequirementsrelativetostatutoryplatesand
inscriptions ,andtotheirlocationandmethodoffixing.
Inparticular,itconcernsthearrangementofthemanufacturer'splateand
theidentification numberofthevehicle.Withregardtothemanufacturer's
plateitfixesthedetailsofwhatmustappearonthisplate.Regardingthe
identification numberofthevehicle,ithasfixedpreciselythenumberof
characters ,bothforthepartbywhichthevehicletypeandvarietyisiden­
tified,andforthepartbywhichaparticularvehicleisidentified.
Thedirectiveisapplicabletomotorvehicleswithatleastfourwheels,and
amaximumdesignspeedexceeding25km/h.(articlel)i
Article2incorporates therequirements forstatutoryplatesandinscriptions !
theirlocationandmethodoffixing,intotheEECitype–approvalprocedure.
Itsimilarlycomeswithintheperspectiveoftheoptionalharmonisation in
thesensethatitisprovidedthattheCommunityrequirements setdowninthe
annexoftheDirectivehavethesamevalidityasNationalrequirements .Thus
itisnotpossibleforaMemberSatetorefusenationaltype–approvalfora
vehicleonthegroundsthatitsequipmentandcharacteristics ,laiddownby
theparticulardirective,willnotconformtothenationalrequirements ,when
theywillconformtotheCommunityrequirements .
SincecertainMemberStatesdonotoperateatype-approval systemitis
necessarytoinsertsomeprovisionsinordertoensurethatvehiclescomplying
withtherequirements setoutintheDirectivecanbeusedinthesestates
(article3)»
(1)O.J.N°42of23February1970.

Article4containstheprocedureforadaptingdirectivetotechnicalprogress.
ThisprocedureissetoutinArticle13oftheCouncilDirectiveof6Februa­
ry1970relatingtothetype-approval ofmotorvehiclesandtrailers.
Article5containstwodeadlines:beforeexpiryofthefirstdeadlinethe
MemberStatesshalladoptandpublishthemeasuresnecessaryinorderto
complywiththeDirective.Theseconddeadlinesetsthedateonwhiohall
oftheMemberStatesmustsimultaneously implementthecommonrules(article
5,paragr.l).
Finally,theCommissionmustb9informedingoodtimeofalldraftprovisions
drawnupbytheMemberStatesinthefieldreferredtointheDirectivein
ordertoenableittocommentthereon(article5ipar.2).
.4
CONSULTATION OFTHEEUROPEi\NPARLIAMENT ANDECONOMIC ANDSOCIALCOMMITTEE
PursuanttotheRomeTreaty,article100,alin.2,theopinionofthesetwo
institutionsisrequired.

THECOUNCILOPTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropeanEconomicCommunityand
inparticulararticle100thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission,
HavingregardtotheOpinionoftheEuropeanParliament ,
HavingregardtotheOpinionoftheEconomioandSocialCommittee,
;Tberoasthotechnicalrequirements whichmotorvehiclesmustsatisfypursuant
tonationallawsrelateinteralia,totheirstatutoryplatesandinscriptions ,
andtheirlocationandmethodsoffixing;
Whereasthoserequirements differfromoneMemberStatetoanother;whereas
itisthereforenecessarythatallMemberStatesadoptthesamerequirements
eitherinadditiontoorinplaceoftheirexistingrequirements ,inorder,
inparticular ,toallowtheEECtype-approval procedurewhichwasthesubject
oftheCouncilDirective(70/156/EBC)of6February1970ontheapproximation
ofthelawsoftheMemberStatesrelatingtothetype-approval ofmotorvehi­
clesandtheirtrailers(l)tobeappliedinrespectofeachtypeofvehicles;
Whereasthenationalregulationsrelatingtomotorvehiclesimplynational
recognition oftheinspectionscarriedoutbyeachofthemonthebasisof
commonprovisions ;thatsuchasysteminordertofunctionsuccesfully must
beappliedbyallMemberStateswitheffectfromthesamedate;
HASADOPTEDTHISDIRECTIVE s
U)O.J.N°L42,23February1970,p.1•/

forusecn "theroad ,with .orwithout "bodywork "^""having -atleast four wheels
andapari rrnimdesign speed exceeding 25kilometres perhour anditstrailers ,
with theexception ofvehicles which runonrails ,agricultural tractors and
machinery andpublic works vehicles .
Article 2
NoMember Stsitemay *refuse "togrant EE?Ctjye–approval ornational type–appro –
valofavehicle ongrounds relating tostatutory plates andinscriptions and
their method offixing ,ifthey satisfy thereauireoents setoutintheannex .
Article 3
NoMember State mayrefuse orprohibit thesale orregistration ,entry into
service oruseofavehicle ongrounds relating tostatutory plates andins­
criptions andtheir method offixing ,ifthey satisfy therequirements set
out inthe annex .
Article d
Theamendments necessary foradjusting tnerequirements oftheannex soasto
take account oftechnical progress shall beadopted inaccordance with the
procedure laid down inarticle 13oftheConnrvi 1Jhjr~octx-r& oiltha "tyyia–appro–
val ofmotor vehicles -and -their ^trailers .
5
1.TheMember States shall adopt andpublish theprovisions necessary toin­
sure compliance with thepresent directive before 1January 1976 *andin­
form theCommission immediately .
Theprovisions ofthis Directive will apply with effect from 1October 1976
2.Assoon asthis Directive hasbeen notified ,theMember States shall take
care toinfom the Ccaraission ,insufficient tirae toenable ittosubmit
itscomments ,ofanydraft laws ,regulations oradministrative provisions
which they intend toadopt inthefield covered bytheDirective .
Article 5
This Directive isaddressed tothe lieiiber States

-1-
ANNEX
1.GENERAL
1.1*Allvehiclesshallbeprovidedwiththeplatesandinscriptions
describedinthefollowingitems.Theseplatesandinscriptions
areaffixedeitherbythemanufacturer orbyhisauthorisedrepresentative#
2.MANUFACTURER 'SPLATE
2.1.Amanufacturer'splatethepatternforwhichisshownmtheappendix
hereto,mustbefirmlyaffixedin.aconspicuous andreadilyaccessible
positiononapartnotsubjecttoservicereplacement .Itmustshow
clearlyandindeliblythefollowinginformationintheorderlisted:
2.1.1.Nameofmanufacturer ,
2.1.2.EECtype-approval number(l),
2.1.3»VehicleIdentification Number,
2.1.4«Maximumauthorisedladenweightofthevehicle,
2.1.5.Maximumauthorisedladenweightforthecombination ,inthe
casewhereavehicleisusedasatractorvehicle(ifappli­
cabletrainweight),
2.1.6.Maximumauthorisedweightoneachaxle(andonthe'fifth
wheelkingpinifitreferstoasemi-trailer),listedin
theorderfromthefronttotherear.
2.2.Themanufacturer mayaffixadditionalinformation belowortotheside
oftheprescribedinformation ,outsideaclearlymarkedrectanglewhich
shallenclose .onlytheinformationprescribedinitems2.1.2.to2.1.6.
above(seeappendixtothisannex).
3.VEHICLEIPMTIFICATI ONNUMBER
Thevehicleidentification numbershallconformtothefollowingrequi­
rements:
3.1.Itshallbemarkedonthemanufacturer'splate,conformingtoitem2.1.3;
andshallsimilarlybemarkedonthechassis,frame,orequivalent
structure.
(l)UntilanEECtype-approvalisgranted,thenumberoftheEECtypo-approval
isreplacedbythenumberoftheNationaltype-approval ,oralternatively ,
wherenoNationaltype-approval exists,bythedateofthevehicles'first
entryintoservice.

-2-
Annex
3.1.1 .Itshall becomposed of14characters ,constituting twoparts :
thefirst ,composed ofnotmore than sixcharacters (letters
orfigures )identifying thetype andversion ofthevehicle ;
thesecond ,composed ofeight characters ,ofwhich thefirst
four maybeletters orfigures andtheother four figures only ,
identifying aparticular vehicle .
3.1.2 .Itshall bemarked inasingle line without spaces orsepara­
tion ,each unused position being filled byazero inorder to
obtain therequired number 4ofcharacters .
3.2. Theidentification number which ismarked onthechassis ,frame ,or
equivalent structure shall moreover ;
3.2.1 .Beplaced inareadily visible andaccessible position bya
method such ashammering orstamping ,insuch amanner to
avoid obliteration ordeterioration#
3.2.2 .Have itsposition marked onthetype-approval certificate .
4. CHARACTERS
4.1 . Roman letters andArabic numerals must beused forallthemarkings
provided for initems 2and 3.
4«2 . Forthemarking ofthevehicle identification number :
4.2.1 .Theuseoftheletters 1.0andQaswell asdashes ,asterisks ,
andother signs ,isnotacceptable .
4*2.2 .Thecharacters andfigures shall have thefollowing minimum
heights :
. 4.2.2.1 .when they aremarked onthechassis ,frame or
equivalent structure ofthevehicle -7,0mm.
4.2.2.2 .when they aremarked onthemanufacturer' splate
-4,7mm.
/•

APPENDIX
TOITEMS2.1and2.2.-MODELOPTHEfl/lNUFACTURER' SPLATE
STELLAMOTORCOMPANY
e1485
EBA46GOOA4?269
26<000Kg
32.000Kg
1-7.000Kg
2-10.500Kg
3-10.500Kg
I_vw.
Thesupplementary information (item2.2.)maybeplacedtothesideof
orbelowtherequiredmarks(seerectanglesshownwithnon-continuous
linesintheabovemodel).