WRITTEN QUESTION E-1506/96 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Council (19 June 1996)

Subject: Request for harmonization of the maximum weights of road vehicles

Community directives establish the maximum weight of road vehicles at 40 tonnes, but these directives are mostly ignored in the Member States, except the United Kingdom, which has its own limit of 38 tonnes.

The directives are ignored in that vehicles of excess weight are used, and some countries are calling for the limits to be increased, for example the Netherlands would like to see it raised to 50 tonnes and Denmark to as much as 60 tonnes. In view of this, does the Council of Ministers not consider it appropriate to draw up a regulation setting the maximum weight of road vehicles at 44 tonnes, bearing in mind the fact that the Commission is also in favour of harmonization to this effect?

Reply (19 November 1996)

1. Directive 85/3/EEC of 19 December 1984 on the weights, dimensions and certain other technical characteristics of certain road vehicles ((OJ L 2-3.1.1985, p. 14. Directive as last amended by Directive 92/7/EEC (OJ L 57, 2.3.1992, p. 29). )) sets the maximum authorized weight for combined vehicles with 5 or 6 axles in international traffic at 40 tonnes.

2. In its proposal for a Directive of 15 December 1993 laying down maximum authorized weights and dimensions for road vehicles over 3,5 tonnes circulating within the Community ((OJ C 38, 8.2.1993, p. 3. )) , as amended by its proposal of 27 June 1995 ((OJ C 247, 23.9.1995, p. 1. )) , the Commission proposed raising the maximum authorized weight (MAW) for combined vehicles with 6 axles in international transport from 40 to 44 tonnes where they are equipped with road-friendly suspensions.

It is also proposed extending to national transport the maximum authorized weights in international transport for vehicles with 4, 5 or 6 axles. Harmonization in national and international traffic would thereby be achieved with a MAW of 44 tonnes for vehicles with 6 axles being authorized for the entire Community.

3. On the basis of the above proposal, on 8 December 1995 the Council adopted common position (EC) No 34/95 with a view to adopting a Council Directive 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 ((OJ C 356, 30.12.1995, p. 13. )) .

The Council's common position covers most of the Commission's proposal but does not cover, in particular, either extension to national transport of the MAW of vehicles with 4, 5 or 6 axles or the abovementioned increase from 40 to 44 tonnes for 6 axles.

With regard to retention of the 40-tonne limit for the MAW of six-axled heavy goods vehicles in international transport, the Council took account of the Opinion delivered on 15 November 1994 ((OJ C 341, 5.12.1994, p. 39. )) by the European Parliament, which considered that the MAW for the vehicles concerned should not be increased.

4. On 14 March 1996 the European Parliament adopted a decision on the Council's common position ((OJ C 96, 1.4.1996, p. 233. )) which does not contain any new amendments with regard to the tonnage of heavy goods vehicles. In the light of the European Parliament's Decision and the re-examined proposal forwarded by the Commission to the Council on 14 May 1996, the Council adopted the abovementioned new Directive (96/53/EEC) on 25 July 1996.