Commission Directive 2001/9/EC of 12 February 2001 adapting to technical progress Council Directive 96/96/EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2001-02-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: air quality, approximation of laws, commercial vehicle, motor vehicle, roadworthiness tests, safety device

L 48/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17.2.2001

COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2001/9/EC

of 12 February 2001

adapting to technical progress Council Directive 96/96/EC on the approximation of the laws of the
Member States relating to roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

(7)

of the test, but increasing accuracy through monitoring
the functioning of the vehicle's OBD system.

The measures provided for in this Directive are in
accordance with the opinion of the committee for the
the Directive on
adaptation to technical progress of
roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers
instituted by Article 8 of Directive 96/96/EC,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1

Directive 96/96/EC is amended as set out in the Annex to this
Directive.

Article 2

Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions necessary to comply with this
Directive one year after the entry into force of the Directive at
the latest. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.

those provisions,

When Member States adopt
they shall
contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by
such a reference on the occasion of their official publication.
Member States shall determine how such reference is to be
made.

Member States shall communicate to the Commission the texts
of the provisions of national law that they adopt in the field
governed by this Directive.

Article 3

This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.

Article 4

Done at Brussels, 12 February 2001.

For the Commission

Loyola DE PALACIO

Vice-President

Having regard to Council Directive 96/96/EC of 20 December
1996 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their
trailers (1), as amended by Commission Directive 1999/
52/EC (2), and in particular Article 8 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

The auto-oil programmes, which were initiated in 1992
to provide the analytical foundation for the setting of
vehicle emisison and fuel quality standards for the year
2000 and beyond in order to achieve air quality objec-
tives with a particular focus on reducing road transport
emissions, identified the standard of motor vehicle main-
tenance as a key factor in the effect of traffic on air
quality.

Directive 96/96/EC specifies the tests to be carried out at
periodic inspection to check that emissions from both
petrol and diesel driven vehicles are still within accept-
able limits.

The carbon monixide content of the exhaust emissions
of petrol driven vehicles equipped with certain exhaust
after-treatment systems (Euro 1 standard) need to be
tested at both low and high engine speeds.

Directive 98/69/EC of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 13 October 1998 relating to measures to
be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor
vehicles and amending Council Directive 70/220/EEC (3)
requires the introduction, from 2000, of on-board diag-
nostic (OBD) systems for petrol driven cars and light
commercial vehicles to monitor the functioning of the
vehicle's emission control system in service. Similarly,
OBD systems will be required for new diesel vehicles
from 2003.

The development of OBDs capable of monitoring and
recording vehicle faults during operation should narrow
the gap between test conditions and actual operation in
the future.

This Directive abolishes the need to test petrol driven
vehicles at low idle speed thus reducing the complexity

(1) OJ L 46, 17.2.1997, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 142, 5.6.1999, p. 26.
(3) OJ L 350, 28.12.1998, p. 1.

17.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 48/19

ANNEX

Point 8.2.1(b)(4) of Annex II to Directive 96/96/EC is replaced by the following:

‘4. Exhaust pipe emissions — limit values

(a) Measurement at engine idling speed:

The maximum permissible CO content in the exhaust gases is that stated by the vehicle manufacturer. Where
this information is not available, the maximum CO content must not exceed 0,5 % vol.

(b) Measurement at high idle speed, engine speed to be at least 2 000 revs/min.:

The maximum permissible CO content in the exhaust gases is that stated by the vehicle manufacturer at high
idle speed. Where this is not available, the maximum CO content must not exceed 0,3 % vol.

The air/fuel ratio, Lambda shall be = 1 ± 3 % or in accordance with manufacturer's specifications.

(c) For motor vehicles equipped with on-board diagnostic systems in accordance with Directive 98/69/EC,
Member States may as an alternative to the test specified in item (a) establish the correct functioning of the
emission system through the appropriate reading of the OBD device and simultaneous checking of the proper
functioning of the OBD system.’