2001/344/EC: Commission Decision of 19 April 2001 concerning a request for exemption submitted by Luxembourg pursuant to Article 8(2)(c) of Council Directive 70/156/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of motor vehicles and their trailers (notified under document number C(2001) 1096)
Date: 2001-04-19
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Luxembourg, approximation of laws, commercial vehicle, derogation from EU law, motor fuel, motor vehicle

L 122/30

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

3.5.2001

COMMISSION DECISION

of 19 April 2001

concerning a request for exemption submitted by Luxembourg pursuant to Article 8(2)(c) of
Council Directive 70/156/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to
the type-approval of motor vehicles and their trailers

(notified under document number C(2001) 1096)

(Only the French text is authentic)

(2001/344/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February
1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to the type-approval of motor vehicles and their
trailers (1), as last amended by Directive 2000/40/EC of the
European Parliament and of the Council (2), and in particular
Article 8(2)(c) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

The request for exemption submitted by Luxembourg on
21 July 2000, which reached the Commission on 27
July 2000, contained the information required by Article
8(2)(c) of Directive 70/156/EEC. The request concerns
the installation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) equip-
ment on three types of M1 class vehicles.

The reasons given in the request, according to which
such equipment does not meet the requirements of the
Directives concerned, in particular Council Directive 70/
220/EEC of 20 March 1970 on the approximation of
the laws of the Member States relating to measures to be
taken against air pollution by gases from positive-igni-
tion engines of motor vehicles (3), as last amended by
Commission Directive 1999/102/EC (4), and Council
Directive 70/221/EEC of 20 March 1970 on the approx-
imation of the laws of the Member States relating to
liquid fuel tanks and rear protective devices for motor
last amended by
trailers (5), as
vehicles and their
Directive 2000/8/EC of the European Parliament and of
the Council (6), are well founded.

(3)

The tests performed in accordance with the abovemen-
tioned Directives were conducted using both petrol and
liquefied petroleum gas, and the relevant limit values
were respected with both types of fuel. The recorded

emissions of pollutants were lower with liquefied petro-
leum gas and equivalent environmental protection is
thus ensured.

In order to assure themselves of the safety of vehicles in
service, Member States may periodically carry out leak-
tightness tests at a pressure of at least the service pres-
sure.

The Community Directives concerned will be amended
in order to permit the production of vehicles powered
by liquefied petroleum gas.

The measure provided for by this Decision is in accord-
ance with the opinion of the Committee on Adaptation
to Technical Progress set up by Directive 70/156/EEC,

(4)

(5)

(6)

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The request submitted by Luxembourg for an exemption
concerning the production and placing on the market of three
types of M1 class vehicles powered by liquefied petroleum gas
is hereby approved.

This Decision is addressed to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Article 2

Done at Brussels, 19 April 2001.

For the Commission

Erkki LIIKANEN

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 42, 23.2.1970, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 203, 10.8.2000, p. 9.
(3) OJ L 76, 6.4.1970, p. 1.
(4) OJ L 334, 28.12.1999, p. 43.
(5) OJ L 76, 6.4.1970, p. 23.
(6) OJ L 106, 3.5.2000, p. 7.