Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive amending Council Directive 92/61/EEC relating to the type-approval of two or three-wheel motor vehicles'
Date: 1999-10-21
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: approval, harmonisation of standards, marketing standard, motor vehicle, technical standard, two-wheeled vehicle

20.12.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 368/1

II

(Preparatory Acts)

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a European Parliament and
Council Directive amending Council Directive 92/61/EEC relating to the type-approval of two or
three-wheel motor vehicles’

(1999/C 368/01)

On 8 October 1999, the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article
95 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

Section for the Single Market, Production and Consumption, which was responsible for preparing the
Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 7 October 1999. The rapporteur was Mr Barros
Vale.

At its 367th plenary session (meeting of 21 October 1999), the Economic and Social Committee adopted
the following opinion by 93 votes to three with seven abstentions.

1.

Introduction

The main aim of the proposal is to update and clarify

1.1.
Directive 92/61/EEC.

1.2.
The proposal is justified by the nature of the amend-
ments, which involve more than the simple adaptation of
Directive 92/61/EEC to technical progress.

2.3.
The Committee considers that although it is necessary
to move towards type-approval systems which make it possible
to apply uniform criteria, not all Member States are equipped
with the technical and administrative infrastructure needed to
implement type-approval procedures that are as detailed and
wide-ranging as the ones in the proposal. This means that
many producers are obliged to turn to type-approval bodies in
third countries, an exercise which is more time-consuming
and more costly and involves more work and which also
amounts to a distortion of competition. The Commission
must therefore urge all Member States to create their own
type-approval machinery.

2. General comments

3. Specific comments

The proposal stems from the need to clarify some
2.1.
existing requirements, such as the length of validity of
national approvals, and to add new requirements, such as the
numbering of type-approval certificates and exemptions for
end-of-series vehicles and ‘new technologies’. This is in keeping
with what has already been done for the rest of the motor
vehicles sector.

3.1.
The Committee welcomes the proposal to improve the
framework directive governing the type-approval of two or
three-wheel motor vehicles. The aim is greater harmonisation
of the whole system, which is to be achieved by aligning the
requirements that have to be met.

A series of amendments to the existing directive and
2.2.
to the documentation for the whole type-approval procedure
are therefore proposed.

The Committee also welcomes the Commission’s
3.2.
decision to consult various relevant bodies and representatives
of the sector when drawing up its proposal.

C 368/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

20.12.1999

3.3.
Bearing in mind the environmental and other advan-
tages associated with a new category of pedal-operated vehicles
equipped with auxiliary electric motors, the Committee thinks
that the last indent of Article 1(1)(a) of the proposal should be
replaced by the following:

sector (in terms of resources and size), the Committee thinks
that notwithstanding the need for harmonisation and clarifi-
cation, the directive does not perhaps need to lay down such
detailed and stringent requirements and be so inflexible with
regard to the substitution of some components.

— cycles with pedal assistance which are equipped with an
auxiliary electric motor, the output of which is progress-
ively reduced as the vehicle speed increases, being cut off
altogether at a speed of 35 km/h, and which cannot be
propelled solely by means of such motor.

Bearing in mind the specific nature and limitations of
3.4.
the sector referred to below, the Committee proposes that the
number of vehicles constituting a small series be increased
from 200 to 300 so that the sector can develop and adapt to
the constant changes on the market. This increase will enable
producers to be more active on the market thanks to the
greater and more reliable feedback they receive, and will also
make the sector more dynamic.

The Committee thinks that point (a) in Annex VIII
3.5.
regarding end-of-series vehicles should be reworded so that it
is clearer and not open to differing interpretations.

3.6.
Given the specific nature of the sector and the differ-
ences, for example, between this sector and the automobile

3.6.1.
The Committee therefore proposes that a mechanism
be studied for assigning responsibility to the producer and/or
the person empowered to sign certificates of conformity so
that minor alterations to type-approved vehicles may be
acceptable without the need to go through a new type-approval
procedure. However, these alterations should not affect the
safety of the vehicles or its structural parts.

4. Conclusion

The Committee once again welcomes the Commission
4.1.
initiative and work on harmonising and standardising Member
States’ methods and procedures for the benefit of a true
European Union.

4.2.
The Committee also agrees with all the changes and
additions made by the Commission proposal. However, the
Commission should take account of the suggestions made
above and make the necessary adjustments/additions to its
document.

Brussels, 21 October 1999.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Beatrice RANGONI MACHIAVELLI