CELEX: 51989PC0573
Language: pt
Date: 1989-11-22
Title: Proposta de DIRECTIVA DO CONSELHO que altera, a fim de fixar certas dimensões máximas autorizadas dos conjuntos veículo-reboque, a Directiva 85/3/CEE relativa aos pesos, às dimensões e a certas outras características técnicas de certos veículos rodoviários (Apresentada pela Comissão)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (89) 573
Vol. 1989/0180
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
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 ---pagebreak---    COMISSÃO DAS COMUNIDADES EUROPEIAS
                                          COM(89 ) 573 final
                                          Bruxelas , 22 de Novembro de 1989
                              Proposta de
                        DIRECTIVA DO CONSELHO
que altera , a fim de fixar certas dimensões máximas autorizadas
      dos conjuntos veículo-reboque , a Directiva 85 / 3 / CEE
       relativa aos pesos , às dimensões e a certas outras
                características técnicas de certos
                         veículos rodoviários
                    ( Apresentada pela Comissão )
                                                            /"
                                                         И
                                                         V\ ^
                                                          'V ■ n.
 ---pagebreak---                                                          £/&rr “> V i'
                      EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
General   comments
Introduction
1 . On 18 July 1989 the Council adopted Directive 89 / 461 / EEC
    amending Directive 85 / 3 / EEC on weights and dimensions and
    other characteristics of     lorries .
    This amendment fixed the load length of an articulated
    vehicle and at the same time increased the total length by
    one meter to 16.5m .
    The main reason for Directive 89 / 461 / EEC was to stop the
    reduction in the space reserved for the driver and the
    coupling device caused by the tendency to make vehicles
    more productive by proposing a maximum usable load length
    within the total length imposed by Directive 85 / 3 .
    By the increase of the total permitted length of the
    articulated vehicle to 16.5m it was possible to take into
    account the load lengths that were possible within the
    15.5m by application of space saving methods as described
    above .
2 . For road trains similar technical developments as for the
    articulated vehicles give rise to additional legislation .
    The basic problem is similar :
    - Within the legally permitted total length of 18 m for
      road trains technical development has , in order to gain
      loading space , led to short cabins and short coupling
      mechanisms between truck and trailer .
    - Disadvantages of ultra short cabins for the comfort and
      safety of drivers were the subject of earlier
      discussions concerning articulated vehicles .
      As regards the use of so called topsleepers the opinions
      as expressed by employers and trade unions in transport
      differ widely .
      The employers view is that top sleeper vehicles
      constitute a modest part only of total heavy vehicles
      ( potentially 9 % ). A large majority of drivers jobs will
      not necessitate the use of top sleepers . Also ,
      individual preferences of drivers can be respected as in
      the total driver population there are sufficient drivers
      able and willing to drive top sleeper vehicles .
      The trade unions have serious objections as regards the
      use of topsleepers because of accessibility ,
      ventilation , safety in case of accidents or fire and
      feelings of claustrophobia by certain drivers .
 ---pagebreak---                                    2
    - The technology of flexible coupling systems has in some
      cases led to a " theoretical " distance of 8 to 15cm
      between truck and trailer .    This distance can be
      increased sometimes from the cabin , if necessary , by
      extending the length of the coupling itself or by a
      system that moves the container on the trailer backwards
      by means of a sledge .
      It is obvious that a distance of 15cm can only be
      maintained on a flat and straight route so the total
      length of the combination will in practice often be
      considerably more than 18m .
    - The extreme result of using short cabins and coupling
      devices is a vehicle with a total length available for
      loading of 16.40m which still theoretically meets the
      overall length of 18m .
      It is clear that such a vehicle has economic advantages
      and that this concept will have a quick and large
      proliferation if no additional legislation is adopted .
      Also companies and vehicle manufacturers that have
      serious objections as regards technical and social
      aspects of such vehicles will be forced to use them and
      to produce them in order to stay competitive .
      The aim of this Proposal for a Directive is to
      complement the Community legislation in order to stop
      this development .
2 . Legal aspects
    Directive 85 / 3 / EEC allows the free circulation in
    international traffic of road trains with a maximum length
    of 18m .
    On the basis of the Directive 85 / 3 as in force now , no
    ultra short cabins with topsleepers can be forbidden .
    Member States that do so in their domestic legislation
    disadvantage their own operators in comparison with
    foreign operators that enter their territory .
    As regards the flexible coupling mechanism the legal
    position is less clear . A road train that is 18m long if
    stationary but that exceeds this length regularly when it
    moves does not reflect the spirit of Directive 85 / 3 that
    lays down length limitations not for vehicles on the
    parking place but for vehicles in traffic .
    The proposal for an amendment to Directive 85 / 3 has to
    take into account the legal position of vehicles that are
    already on the road and that were built under the original
    legal protection of 85 / 3 .
 ---pagebreak---                                    3
    However if by introducing new legislation from a certain
    date new concepts are less competitive than the " old " ones
    then a situation will be established which is undesirable
    and difficult to enforce .
3 . Technical aspects
    The total length of a road train is the sum of
    A ) cabin length
    B ) coupling distance between truck and trailer
    C ) total length available for loading
    Point A
    On going discussions between the social partners will
    establish minimum standards for the drivers'      cabin with
    or without a bed .
    In Directive 89 / 461 / EEC a method is adopted of ensuring
    enough space for a comfortable cabin within the total
    length without fixing the details .
    Reasons for this method are as follows :
    . Fixing a minimum cabin dimension would lead to the
       manufacture of only the minimum requirements ; economic
       pressures would ensure this . Manufacturers that wanted
       to use extra cabin space for comfort or safety could
       only do so by reducing load length .
    . Assuming that certain accomodations for sleeping
       ( small beds , top sleeper ) are not acceptable , it will
       still be very difficult to control the use of them .
       Nobody can be prohibited from constructing a small space
       on the roof of a daycab . It will be impossible to
       control if this space is used for resting or sleeping ?
       it is even impossible to control if a driver sleeps on
       his seat  1
       A much better approach is to disencourage this practices
       by taking away the incentive of creating more loading
       space by application of short cabins .
       Once these standards are agreed they will be compatible
       with legislation in Directive 89 / 461 / EEC which is aimed
       at ensuring that enough room is reserved for the
       driver 's cab .
    There are no arguments why the cabin of a road train
    should differ from the cabin of an articulated vehicle .
    Manufacturers will like to apply the same models and
    drivers work under similar conditions .
                                                                   Н
 ---pagebreak---  The space reserved for the cabin in Directive 89 / 461 / EEC
 can be calculated as follows                   :
 total available length :                                            16.50 m
 minus distance from fifth wheel to the
 rear of the semi-trailer :                                     - 12.00 m
 minus forward clearance of semi-trailer :                      -       2 . 04 ro
 minus free space between tractor and
 semi-trailer ( according to
 ISO standard 1726 ):                                                   0.20 m
 So available space for the cabin from
 front t.o back wall :                                                  2.26 m
Applying the same cabins for road trains means that 2.26 m
 should be available .
 However ,  for the road train an additional 0.10 m or so
 should be added for cab clearance , driver safety ,
 roofmounted vertical exhaust, and necessary space for
 picking up the swap body . This brings the total necessary
 length to 2.35 m .
Point    B
The length of the coupling device depends on the
technology that is applied . For couplings of road trains
no ISO standards like for the articulated vehicles are
available .
The normal coupling device requires a coupling distance of
around 1.5 m . By short, coupling devices this distance can
be reduced to 1 m and if a centre axle trailer is used to
0.7 ro .
The ijtje <>f B«I o|i'1q|i)e < • <u p ] | 1 1 > | ej • if I d'hfit > I < i-jy i hul
lengthen the total length of the combination when
driving should not. be taken into account, in this
calculation . These mechanisms have not. yet. been proven to
be reliable under all circumstances and are very costly .
In so far as they are invented only to bypass the
international agreed length limits their use should be
discouraged by taking away the incentives in that respect .
Point C
The total load length is the third element, that determines
the overall length .
As argued above a minimum space of 2.35 m should be
reserved for the cabin including the clearance and a space
of 0.70 ro is necessary for the shortest non extendable
coupling mechanism .
 ---pagebreak--- Applying the same method as used in Directive 89 / 461 / EEC
for the articulated vehicle means that overall length and
loading length must be fixed in such a way that enough
space for cabin and coupling is guaranteed .
This means that the overall length of the road train
should be fixed at 2.35 m longer than the load length
including the coupling distance between truck and trailer
and moreover that the overall length should be fixed at
3.05 m longer than the load length .
In Directive 89 / 461 / EEC for articulated vehicles the
maximum load length that was feasable under the old limit
could be taken into account by increasing the overall
length with 1 m from 15.5 m to 16.5 m .
At present some road trains , though with extendable
couplings , operate with a load length of
2 x 8.22 m ■=* 16.45 m
Taking this load length into account would require a total
length of 16.45 + 3.05 = 19.50 m .
This would mean an increase of almost 9 % of the length of
the longest combination on the road which is politically
unacceptable for most governments of the Community .
Starting from the other side , the longest acceptable
combination for the majority of the Member States seems to
be 18.35 m bearing in mind that most Member States allow
at present a two percent tolerance on the 18 m limit .
Calculating backwards this means that the maximum
available load length for a road train should be fixed on
18.35 - 3.05 = 15.30 m . Any load length above this number
would implicate an increase of the overall length above
the 18.35 m .
An additional argument for this length is the great
problem that could be provoked for the transit traffic
through Austria and Switzerland if a longer combination
was permitted in the Community .
The important reference in the field of load length are
the standard lengths of swap bodies that at present are
used .
In the CEN working group the following lengths for
general purpose swap bodies class C were approved :
                 7150 , 7420 and 7820mm .
The first length 7150mm is the most frequently used at
present . The 7420mm length was especially promoted by
Sweden as a good logistic solution .
Standardization of the swap bodies of 8220mm which are
also on the road now , has not yet been considered by CEN .
 ---pagebreak---                                   6
   A maximum load length of 15.30 m will allow transport of
   the following combinations of standard swap bodies and
    containers :
       2 x 6.058 m ( 20 ft container )
       2x7.15      m
       2 x 7.42    m
       1 x 6.058   m + 1 x 7.82 m
       1 x 7.15    m + 1 x 7.82 m
       1 x 6.058   m + 1 x 8.22 m
       1 x 7.42    m + 1 x 7.82 m
   Transport of 2 x 7.82 m swap bodies would only be
   possible if the total length was increased to
   15.65 + 3.05 = 18.70 m .
   For the transport of 2 swap bodies of 8.22 m the above
   calculated increase to 19.50 m would be necessary .
   Both options are not acceptable for reasons of road safety
   and public acceptance . Therefore transitional measures
   should be taken for these swap bodies which are now on the
   road .
4. Conclusion
   The following options are possible as regards additional
   Community legislation :
   a ) the " zero " option : no action or no agreement
       Result : A quick proliferation of ultra short cabins and
       complex flexible coupling systems for international
       transport .
   b ) Fixation of loading length and the overall length of
       road trains .
   This additional legislation for lengths of road trains
   should
   . take away incentives for short cabins ,
   . be considered in relation with legislation for art.ics ,
   . make clear that extendable couplings do not give
      advantages for the load length ,
   . take into consideration the standard swap bodies
   . take into consideration the current situation .
 ---pagebreak---                                7
Contents of the proposai
5 . Article 1 of Annex I of Directive 85 / 3 / EEC will therefore
    be amended on the following points :
    - The maximum authorized length of a road train will be
      increased from 18.00 m to 18.35 m .
    - The total load length of the combination of truck and
      trailer will be fixed by prescribing a maximum length of
      15.30 m for the sum of the load lengths of truck and
      trailer .
    - The sum of the total load length of a combination of
      truck and trailer and the distance between truck and
      trailer will be fixed on 16.00 m .
6 . A new Article 4b is inserted in Directive 85 / 3 / EEC which
    will allow the use of existing road trains that do not
    comply with the provisions on total load length on
    condition that these vehicles do not exceed the ''old’*
    maximum authorized length of 18 m .
    In order to avoid a permanent advantage of old
    combinations that were built with more load length than
    allowed in the proposal this exemption is limited until
    1 January 1995 .
 ---pagebreak---                                      Proposta de
                               DIRECTIVA DO CONSELHO
que altera , a fim de fixar certas dimensões máximas autorizadas dos conjuntos
 vei culo-reboque , a Directiva 85 / 3 / CEE relativa aos pesos , às dimensões e a
     certas outras caracteristi cas técnicas de certos veículos rodoviários
0 CONSELHO DAS COMUNIDADES EUROPEIAS ,
Tendo em conta o Tratado que institui a Comunidade Económica Europeia e , nomea ¬
damente , o seu artigo 75Q ,
Tendo em conta a proposta da Comissão ( 1 ),
Tendo em conta o parecer do Parlamento Europeu ( 2 ),
Tendo em conta o parecer do Comité Económico e Social ( 3 ),
Considerando que para aumentar a produtividade dos conjuntos de  veiculos , os
fabricantes propõem um volume útil máximo dentro dos limites impostos pela
Directiva 85 / 3 / CEE do Conselho ( 4 ), com a última redacção que lhe foi dada
pela Directiva 89 / 461 / CEE ( 5 );
Considerando que este aumento do volume útil se efectua , por um lado , em detri ¬
mento do espaço reservado ao condutor e , por outro lado , em detrimento do espa ¬
ço existente entre o veículo de tracção e o semi - reboque , através de dispositi ¬
vos de engate especiais ;
Considerando que tal facto dá origem a uma degradação das condições de trabalho
do condutor no que respeita ao conforto e à segurança ;
( 1 ) JO nû C
( 2 ) JO nû C
( 3 ) JO nû C
( 4 ) JO nû L 2 de 3.1.1985 , p.14 .
( 5 ) JO nû L 226 de 3.8.1989 , p.7 .
 ---pagebreak--- Considerando que , para conseguir um melhor equilibrio entre a utilização ra ¬
cional e económica dos veiculos rodoviários utilitários e a segurança rodo -
viária , há que adaptar as normas actuais , garantindo simultaneamente um espaço
suficiente ao condutor ;
Considerando que devem ser removidos os incentivos para o aumento do espaço
de carga através da utilização de cabinas reduzidas com beliches montados na
parte superior do habitáculo ;
Considerando que as novas dimensões fixadas permitirão a utilização de uma
cabina de condução com um espaço de repouso , por trás do banco do condutor ,
de cerca de 80 cm de largura efectiva ,
AD0PT0U A PRESENTE DIRECTIVA :
 ---pagebreak---                                      Artigo 1Q
A Directiva 85 / 3 / CEE  é alterada do seguinte modo :
1 . É aditado um novo artigo com a seguinte redacção :
    " Artigo 42-B
    Para efeitos do nQ 1 do artigo 32 , os conjuntos vei cu lo-reboque postos   em
    circulação antes de 1 de Julho de 1990 que não cumpram as novas especifica ¬
    ções contidas nos pontos 1.7 e 1.8       do  Anexo I    rerão     conside ¬
    rados , até 1 de Janeiro de 1995 , como cumprindo tais especificações se  não
    excederem o comprimento total de 18,00 m . ”
2 . No Anexo I , o ponto 1.1 passa a ter a seguinte redacção :
    " 1.1 Comprimento máximo
           - veiculo a motor                       12,00 m
           - reboque                               12,00 m
           - veiculo articulado                    16,50 m
           - conjunto veiculo-reboque              18,35 m
           - autocarro articulado                  18,00 m
3 . No Anexo I são aditados dois novos pontos com a seguinte redacção :
    " 1.7 . Distância máxima medida paralelamente ao eixo longitudinal do con ¬
    junto veiculo-reboque entre o ponto mais avançado da área de carga atrás
    da cabina e o ponto mais recuado do conjunto de veiculos diminuida da dis ¬
    tância entre a retaguarda do veiculo de tracçao e a parte dianteira do re ¬
    boque . . . 15,30 m .
 ---pagebreak---  1.8 . Distância máxima medida paralelamente ao eixo longitudinal do conjun
        to vei culo-reboque entre o ponto mais avançado da área de carga atrás
        da cabina e o ponto mais recuado do conjunto de veículos .... 16,CD m .
                                           Artigo 2-
Os Estados-membros adoptarão as medidas necessárias para darem cumprimento
à presente directiva o mais tardar em 1 de Janeiro de 1991 . Desse facto
informarão imediatamente a Comissão .
As disposições adoptadas nos termos do primeiro parágrafo referii– se-ão
exp l i ci t amente à presente directiva .
Os Estados-membros comunicarão ã Comissão o texto das principais disposi ¬
ções de direito interno que adoptarem no domínio regulado pela presente
di rectiva .
                                       Artigo 3S
Os Estados-membros sao       os destinatários da presente directiva .
Feito em Bruxelas ,
                                                      Pelo Conselho
                                                       0 presidente
 ---pagebreak---             COMPETITIVENESS AND EMPLOYMENT        IMPACT STATEMENT
   I. What is the main reason for introducing the measure ?
       This proposal concerns the fixation of a maximum autho¬
       rized load length of road trains and an increase of the
       maximum authorized overall length from 18,00 to 18,35 m .
      This total package is introduced in order to guarantee
       sufficient space for the cabin and the coupling device
      within the total length of the road train .
      This proposal is the logical follow-up of a similar
      Directive 89 / 461 / EEC by which the load length of semi
      trailers was fixed in order to guarantee enough length for
      a comfortable drivers' cabin and a reliable coupling
      mechanism     for articulated  vehicles .
      However , it will not. be possible to increase the admitted
      overall length of road trains m such a way that all
      existing load lengthes will be covered by the new
      legislation .
      Therefore an article has been incorporated allowing all
      existing road trains that do not meet the new restrictions
      on load length to be used m international traffic until 1
      January 1995 .
 II . Features of the business in question
      All enterprises which use these vehicles for transfrontier
      operations and vehicle manuf act urers .
III . What obligations does this measure improve directly on
      businesses ?
      Road trains used     in international      traffic shall be
      complied with the provisions of this proposal .
 IV . What indirect, obligations are national , regional or local
      authorities likely to impose on business ?
      Implementation of the obligations as described under III .
  V. Are there any special provisions in respect of SME’s ?
      None .
 VI . What is the likely effect on :
      a ) The competitiveness o f bii s_i ne sjs
          The internal competitiveness of enterprises using road
          trains     will be equilized by prescribing load lengths .
      b ) Emjo 1 oymen t
          Posit îve
 ---pagebreak---                                2
VII . Have the relevant represe nt ative organisations been
      consulted ?
      The representative organisations of vehicle
      manufacturers , operators and unions have been
      consulted . Their opinions are as follows :
      Vehicle manufacturers and operators want a greater
      overall length and the use of short cabins with top -
      sleepers in limited cases in order to accomodate load
      lengths that are used now by the application of ultra
      short cabins and flexible couplings .
      The Unions are against the use of top sleepers .
 ---pagebreak---                                                                     ISSN 0257-9553
                                                             COM(89) 573 final
                                                  DOCUMENTOS
PT                                                                        07 01
                                     N.° de catalogo : CB-CO-89-558-PT-C
                                                           ISBN 92-77-55343 -X
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