CELEX: 51988PC0544
Language: es
Date: 1988-10-26
Title: Propuesta de DIRECTIVA DEL CONSEJO relativa a la aproximación de las legislaciones de los Estados miembros sobre el uso obligatorio de cinturones de seguridad en vehículos de menos de 3,5 toneladas (presentada por la Comisión)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (88) 544
Vol. 1988/0189
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
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 ---pagebreak---     COMISIÓN DE LAS COMUNIDADES EUROPEAS
                                                  COM(88 ) 544 final .
                                                  Bruselas ,26  de octubre de 1988
                                     Propuesta de
                                DIRECTIVA DEL CONSEJO
relativa a la aproximación de las legislaciones de los Estados miembros
         sobre el uso obligatorio de cinturones de seguridad en
                   vehículos de menos de 3,5 toneladas
                          ( presentada por la Comisión )
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 ---pagebreak---  EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
 GENERAL COMMENTS
 1.  One of the objectives of the common transport policy is to
     contribute effectively towards the reduction of traffic
     accidents and resulting casualties , and towards the
     improvement of traffic conditions . One of the initiatives .
     through which a common policy on road seat can be
     progressively achieved is , the Commission believes , a
     Directive to make compulsory , within a reasonable period ,
     the wearing of safety belts by all vehicle occupants , save
     for special or relatively limited cases .
2.   A Parliamentary Resolution of 13 March 1934 ( 1 ), on the
     introduction of a programme of Community measures to
     promote road seat , recalled the duty of the Community to
     make every effort to improve road seat and specified that
     among those measures to which immediate priority should be
     given was the introduction of compulsory wearing of safety
     belts on all roads , both rural and urban . A further
     Resolution of 18 February 1986 ( 2 ) urged that the
     compulsory wearing of belts should apply to all passengers ,
     including children , except in public service vehicles .
3.   In its draft resolution on the implementation of a
     Community road seat programme , submitted to the Council on
     20 March 1984 ( 3 ), the Commission recommended a number of
    measures to be taken in this context , including one
    concerning the wearing of safety belts in both front and
     rear seats . The Council Resolution of 19 December 1984 ( 4 )
    welcomed the Commission 's initiative , affirmed the need to
    provide for Community action on road seat , and invited the
    Commission to submit proposals , undertaking at the same
    time to ensure their rapid adoption . It noted that the
    Commission 's draft contained specific areas where action
    was proposed : among these areas was the wearing of safety
    belts .
(1) O.J.  No C 104 ,  16.04.1934 , P. 30
(2) O.J.  No C   68 , 24.03.1936 , P. 35
(3) O.J.  No C   95 , 06.04.1984 , P.  2
(4) O.J.  No C 341 ,  21.12.1934 , P.  1
                                                               -A
 ---pagebreak---                                    2
 4.  The advantages of wearing a safety belt are twofold .
     Firstly , by restraining the body at appropriate points
     ( pelvis , ribs ) the belt prevents " secondary collision ",
     whereby vehicle occupants are projected against interior
     surfaces . Secondly , the belt prevents occupants from being
     ejected from the vehicle : the risk of serious injury is 4
     or 5 times greater for occupants who are ejected than for
     others . Although ejection through doors opening during the
     accident has been less common since doors have been
     equipped with seat locks , account must still be taken of
     ejection through the windscreen , side windows , rear windows
     or , in certain cars , through the roof . The majority of
     studies on the effectiveness of a belt in a collision ,
     mostly based on actual accidents , show that the safety belt
     reduces the risk of fatal injury to front passengers by at
     least 50 % , especially where head-on collisions are
     concerned .
5.   Studies have also shown that rear seats are almost as
    hazardous as front seats for unbelted occupants and that
     unrestrained rear seat passengers increase the risk of
     injuries to front seat occupants . Deaths and injuries could
     thus be further reduced if the wearing of belts in rear
    seats were made compulsory .
6.  Studies show clearly that the harmful effects , in a
    collision , of wearing a belt are minimal . Although injuries
    may be caused by a belt , theyare invariably less serious
    than those ( sometimes fatal ) sustained if a belt is not
    worn . There is sometimes a psychological fear that wearing
    a belt could prevent a quick exit from the car in certain
    situations , such as the car being on fire or submerged in
    water . Even in these circumstances , studies show that the
    wearing of a safety belt , by greatly reducing the risks of
    injury or of loss of consciousness , increases the chances
    of escape from the vehicle .
7.  The Commission considers that , like adults , children run a
    reduced risk of being injured in a collision when they are
    suitably restrained . But unlike adults , smaller children
    need restraint systems which have been specifically
    designed for them . Given the variety of children 's
    restraint systems on the market , together with the small
    amount of data avai-lable on their efficacity , the
    Commission believes it will be necessary to conduct a study
    of Member States' laws and practices concerning child
    restraints before proposing Community norms on this
    subject .
8.  The safety belt has made an effective contribution to
    vehicle driver and passenger safety over the last twenty
    years , but it has proved difficult to attain a high
    percentage of voluntary usage : laws making the wearing of
    front safety belts obligatory have thus been passed in many
    Member States .
 ---pagebreak---                                            3
 9.   However , the present national laws on compulsory use of
      safety belts , where they exist , differ widely . In one
      Member State , the use of front safety belts is not
      compulsory ; in some others it is compulsory only outside
      built-up areas . Another Member State has already introduced
      the compulsory use of rear , as well as front , safety
      belts . Moreover , in different Member States , laws apply to
      different categories of vehicle , and to people over varying
      minimum ages , or make different provisions for exemption .
      There is difficulty in securing recognition by one Member
      State of an exemption accorded by another Member State .
10 . The aim of this proposal is , by the simplification and
     approximation of the laws of Member States relating to the
     use of safety belts , to help to reduce the number of deaths
     and injuries which result from traffic accidents in Member
     States . Road accidents within the Community cause the
     deaths each year of approximately 50000 people and injuries
     to over 1.5 million .
11 . Council Directives on the approximation of the laws of the
     Member States relating to motor vehicle safety belts and
     their anchorages already exist . Council Directive
     76 / 115 / EEC ( 1 ) of IS December 1975 laid down , inter alia ,
     provisions concerning the type and minimum number of belt
     anchorages , in both front and rear , to be provided for
     vehicles of category Ml ( as defined in Annex 1 to Council
     Directive 70 / 156 / EEC ( 2 )). These provisions were extended
     to other vehicles in categories M and N by Council
     Directive S1 / 575 /EEC ( 3 ), of 20 July 1981 . Commission
     Directive 82 / 318 /EEC ( 4 ), of 2 April 1932 , stipulated ,
     amongst other things , that Member States could prohibit the
     entry into service ( from 1 October 1984 ) of vehicles in
     category Ml whose anchorages did not comply with the
     requirements of Directive 76 /115 /EEC ( as twice amended ) and
     that type approval could not be refused to vehicles in
     other categories if their anchorages complied with the said
     requirements . The necessary provisions to comply with
     Directives 81 / 575 /EEC and 82 / 318 /EEC were to be brought
     into force by Member States no later than 30 September 198 2 .
(1)  O.J.   No L    24 , 30.1 . 197(J , P * '6 .
(2)  O.J.   NO L    42 , 23.2.1970 , P· 1 .
(3)  O.J. No L 209 , 29.7.1981 , P· 30 .
(4)  O.J. No L 139 , 19.5.1982 , P· 9 .
 ---pagebreak---                                        4
12 . In tandem with the above Directives , Directives have also
      laid down provisions for the installation of , and the EEC
     component type approval for , safety belts . Council
      Directive 77 / 541 / EEC ( l ) laid down provisions for both
      front and rear belt systems and installation in vehicles in
     category Ml , and stipulated that no Member State could
     refuse EEC or national type approval for any vehicle whose
      safety belts complied with the Directive 's provisions .
     Council Directive 81 / 576 / EEC ( 2 ) extended these provisions
     to the front seats of vehicles in categories N1 and M2
      ( except vehicles of a permissible maximum weight exceeding
     3500 kg and those which included places specially designed
     for standing passengers ). Commission Directive 82 / 319 / EEC
      ( 3 ), amongst other things , provided for the bringing into
     force of the 1981 Directive no later than
     30 September 1982 .
13 . It is recalled that Council Directive 70 / 156 / EEC defined ,
     in its Annex , the following categories which are concerned
     by the present proposal :
     Category Ml : Vehicles used for the carriage of passengers
                        and comprising no more than eight seats in
                        addition to the driver 's seat .
     Category M2 : Vehicles used for the carriage of passengers ,
                        comprising more than eight seats in addition
                        to the driver 's seat , and having a maximum
                        weight not exceeding 5 metric tons .
     Category N1 : Vehicles used for the carriage of goods and
                        having a maximum weight not exceeding 3.5
                        metric tons .
(1)  0 . J.  No L 220 ,  29.8.1977 , p. 95 .
(2)  O.J.    No L 209 ,  29.7.1981 , p. 32 .
(3)  O.J.    No L 139 ,  19.5.1982 , p. 17 .
 ---pagebreak---                                    5
 CONTENTS OF THE PROPOSAL
 1.  One of the essential ingredients of successful safety belt
     use is a clear simple law . Complex , widespread and
     differing exemptions under the law can undermine the
     effectiveness of a belt use programme .
 2.  Articles 2 and 3 therefore consist of requirements to be
     applied across all Member States .
 3.  In Article 2 ( 1 ), the driver and the front seat passengers
     will be required to wear belts in those category Ml
     vehicles first registered on or after 1 March 1979 , since
     from this date vehicles with the prescribed safety belts
     and installation thereof could not be refused , on that
     account , EEC type approval .
4.   Although technically the same provisions exist for rear
     safety belts , it is recognised that the common practice in
     most Member States has not been to make the fitting or
    wearing of rear safety belts compulsory . To avoid the
    necessity of retrofitting , therefore , Article 2 ( 2 )
    requires , from no later than 1 January 1993 , rear safety
    belts to be worn in Ml vehicles first registered on or
    after 1 January 1989 .
5.  In category N1 and M2 vehicles ( except vehicles of a
    permissible maximum weight exceeding 3500 kg and those
    which include places specially designed for standing
    passengers ) the driver and front seat passengers of
    vehicles registered on or after 1 October 1982 will be
    required by Article 3 to wear safety belts . This reflects
    the fact that , from this date , vehicles of these categories
    possessing the prescribed anchorages and safety belts
    cannot , on that account , have been refused EEC type
    approval .
6.  It is recognised that , in many Member States , there are
    already laws requiring the wearing of safety belts on the
    front seats of cars registered before the dates mentioned
    above . The above dates are intended to set a harmonised
    minimum standard for Member States s Article 4 of the
    Directive will enable Member States to specify earlier
    dates applying to the first registration of vehicles in
    which safety belts must be worn .
7.  Article 5 provides for exemptions from these rules for
    certain cases where belts and anchorages are not commonly
    fitted .
 ---pagebreak---                                     6
 8.   Article 7 enables Member States to exempt children under
      the age of 12 from the obligation of wearing safety belts ,
      because doubts about the efficacy of adult belts , given
      children 's weaker bone structure , still exist . If such an
      exemption is made , the children must sit in the rear of the
      vehicle .   Commission experts are currently studying the
     problem , and the present Directive will be amended to take
      account of children under 12 and introduce harmonised
     provisions as soon as possible , since it is desirable that
     children be subject to a safe and effective form of
     restraint .
9.   Articles 3 and 9 seek to simplify and approximate the
     widely differing exemptions at present granted by Member
     States . Exemptions can be divided into three main
     categories : those for the convenience of all drivers and
     passengers ( Article 8 ( 1 )), those granted on medical
     grounds ( Article 0 ( 2 )) and those granted for the
     convenience of certain categories of professional drivers
      ( Article 9 ) .
10 . Article 8 ( 1 ) standardises two exemptions already common ,
     although in slightly different forms , in most Member
     States . It is desirable that these exemptions , concerning
     drivers when reversing , or drivers / passengers under 1.5m
     tall , apply in all Member States since these categories of
     drivers / passengers are likely frequently to cross Member
     States'    frontiers .
11 . Similarly , Article 8 ( 2 ) provides for derogations because
     of pregnancy or serious medical reasons , on production of a
     medical certificate .   It will be for each Member State to
     decide the exact criteria for the granting of such a
     certificate , but any certificate thus granted by the
     competent authority of one Member State should be valid in
     another Member State .
12 . It does not seem essential to standardise those exemptions
     almost wholly concerning certain categories of professional
     drivers who usually remain within national boundaries :
     Article 9 thus identify categories of drivers /passengers to
     whom Member States can at their discretion provide either
     full derogations or derogations which may be more specific
     in nature .
 ---pagebreak---                                         Propuesta de
                                   DIRECTIVA DEL CONSEJO
       relativa a la aproximación de las legislaciones de los Estados miembros
                sobre el uso obligatorio de cinturones de seguridad en
                           vehículos de menos de 3,5 toneladas
  EL CONSEJO DE LAS COMUNIDADES EUROPEAS,
  Visto el Tratado constitutivo de la Comunidad Económica Europea y, en particu¬
  lar , su articulo 75,
  Vista la propuesta de la Comisión,
  Visto el dictamen del Parlamento Europeo ,
 Visto el dictamen del Comité Económico y social .
 Considerando que , las legislaciones nacionales actuales sobre el uso obligatorio
 de los cinturones de seguridad, cuando existen, difieren mucho entre si y que,
 en consecuencia , es necesario armonizar ese uso obligatorio;
 Considerando que, debería ser obligatorio el uso de cinturones de seguridad en
 vehículos de menos de 3,5 toneladas para garantizar a los usuarios de la carre¬
 tera un mayor grado de seguridad ;
 Considerando que la Directiva 76/ 115 / CEE del Consejo , de 18 de diciembre de
 1975 , relativa a la aproximación de las legislaciones de los Estados miembros
 sobre los anclajes de los cinturones de seguridad para los vehículos a motor
 ( 1 ), cuya última modificación la constituye la Directiva 82 / 318/ CEE ( 2 ), y la
 Directiva 77 / 541 / CEE del Consejo , de 28 de junio de 1977, relativa a la apro¬
ximación de las legislaciones de los Estados miembros sobre los cinturones de
seguridad y los sistemas de retención de los vehículos a motor , cuya última modifi ¬
cación la constituye la Directiva 87/354 / CEE ( 4), se refiere a los requisitos
técnicos que deben cumplir los vehículos de motor en relación con los cinturo¬
nes de seguridad , pero no al uso de los mismos ;
Considerando que , en la Resolución de 19 de diciembre de 1984 ( 5 ), el Consejo y
 los representantes de los Gobiernos de los Estados miembros de las Comunidades
Europeas , reunidos en el seno del Consejo, se comprometieron a adoptar sin demo¬
ra medidas de seguridad en carretera e invitaba a la Comisión a presentar pro¬
puestas ;
Considerando que, los Informes del Parlamento Europeo sobre seguridad en la ca¬
rretera ( 6) ( 7 ), han recomendado que la utilización de cinturones de seguridad
por todos los pasajeros , incluidos los niños, en todas las carreteras y en to¬
dos los asientos de los vehículos de pasajeros ( excepto en los vehículos de
transporte público ), debía ser obligatoria ;
(1 )   DO nQ L 24 de 30.1.1976, p. 6
< 2)   DO nQ L 139 de 19.5.1982 , p. 9
(3)    DO nQ L 220 de 29.8.1977 , p. 95
(4)    DO nQ L 192 de 11.7.1987, p. 43
(5)    DO nQ C 341 de 21.12.1984, p. 1
( 6 ) DO no C 104 de 16.4.1984, p. 38
( 7 ) DO nQ C 68 de 24.3.1986, p. 35
                                                                                      7-
 ---pagebreak---                                             - 2 -
  Considerando que Los requisitos técnicos de los sistemas de sujeción para
  niños siguen siendo discutidos y estudiados por La Comisión y darán lugar ,
  por consiguiente , a una ulterior modificación de esta Directiva ;
  Considerando que , los estudios han puesto de manifiesto que los asientos trase¬
  ros son tan peligrosos como los asientos delanteros para los pasajeros sin cin¬
  turón de seguridad y que los ocupantes de los asientos traseros sin cinturón de
  seguridad aumentan los ri esgas de lesiones para los pasajeros de los asientos de¬
  lanteros ; que prodria reducirse el número de muertos y heridos si el uso de
  cinturones de seguridad en los asientos traseros fuera obligatorio ;
  Considerando que , la fecha de aplicación de las medidas a que se refiere la
 presente Directiva , deberia fijarse de modo que permitiera la adopción de las
 disposiciones de aplicación necesarias , en especial en los Estados miembros
 que no disponen todavia de disposiciones al respecto ,
 HA ADOPTADO LA PRESENTE DIRECTIVA :
                                          Articulo 1
 A los efectos de la presente Directiva , se entenderá por " vehículo " todo vehi -
 culo a motor de las categorias M y N , definidas en el Anexo I de la Directiva
 70 / 156 / CEE del Consejo ( 1 ), destinado a circular por carretera , con cuatro rue¬
 das como minimo y una velocidad máxima por construcción superior a los 25 km / h .
                                         Articulo 2
 1 . Los Estados miembros velarán por que el conductor y los pasajeros de los
      asientos delanteros de los vehículos que circulen por carreteras de la ca -
      tegoria M1 , matriculados por primera vez , el 1 de marzo de 1979 o después ,
      utilicen los cinturones de seguridad .
 2 . Los Estados miembros velarán porque , a más tardar , a partir del 1 de enero
      de 1993 , los pasajeros que ocupen los asientos traseros de los vehículos que
      circulen por carreterasde la categoría M1 , matriculados por primera vez el
      1 de enero de 1989 o después , utilicen un sistema de sujección homologado .
                                         Articulo 3
Los Estados miembros velarán por que el conductor y los pasajeros de los asien ¬
tos delanteros de los vehiculos que circulen por carreteras de las categorias
N1 y M2 ( excepto los vehiculos de un peso máximo autorizado superior a 3,5 tone¬
ladas y los vehiculos que dispongan de plazas para pasajeros de pie ), matricu¬
lados por primera vez el 1 de octubre de 1982 o después , utilicen los cinturones
de seguridad .
                                         Articulo 4
No obstante lo dispuesto en los articulos 2 y 3 , un Estado miembro podrá fijar en
fechas anteriores la primera matri culación en dicho Estado miembro, de los vehi ¬
culos en los que sea obligatorio el uso de cinturones de seguridad .
( 1 ) DO nû L 42 de 23.2.1970 , p. 1
                                                                                        if
 ---pagebreak---                                          - 3 -
                                       Articulo 5
  Cuando los vehículos de las categorías M1 y M2 no estén equipados todavía, en
  los asientos que luego se especifican, con cinturones de seguridad y /o de an¬
  clajes en el momento de la homologación, se eximirá de lo dispuesto en los ar-
  ticulos 2 y 3 :
  a ) a los pasajeros de los asientos delanteros que no sean los de los asientos
       laterales ;
 b ) al conductor y los pasajeros de los asientos delanteros de los vehículos de
       la categoria M2 de más de 12 asientos, sin contar el del conducto •
                                      Articulo 6
 Las disposiciones de los artículos 2 a 4 se aplicarán a conductores y pasajeros
 de los vehi culos que circulen por carreteras en la Comunidad, matriculados en
 terceros países, cuando los vehículos estén equipados con cinturones de seguri ¬
 dad .
                                      Articulo 7
 Los Estados miembros podrán eximir de lo dispuesto en los artículos 2 y 3 a los
 niños menores de 12 años . En tal caso, los niños menores de 12 años deberán
 ocupar los asientos traseros del vehículo, siempre que se disponga de tales
 asientos ,
                                      Articulo 8
 Se eximirá de lo dispuesto en los artículos 2 y 3 a las siguientes categorías
de personas :
a ) todos los conductores al efectuar la maniobra de marcha atrás o de estaciona ¬
      miento ;
b ) todos los conductores y pasajeros de más de 12 años cuya estatura sea inferior
     a 1,5 m .
c ) las mujeres encinta cuando dispongan de un certificado médico, en el que
     conste la fecha de expiración de la excepción ;
d ) en personas provistas de un certificado de exención por razones médicas gra¬
     ves expedido por las autoridades competentes ;
El certificado a que se refieren las letras c y d, deberá ser presentado cuando
lo requiera un agente autorizado ;
Todo certificado de este tipo expedido por la autoridad competente de un Estado
miembro será válido en cualquier Estado miembro;
                                                                                 *
 ---pagebreak---                                      Articulo 9
 Los Estados miembros podrán conceder otras exenciones además de las previstas
en el articulo 8 a :
a ) los conductores de taxis , cuando estén en servicio ;
b ) los distribuidores de mercancias , cuando realicen sucesivas operaciones de
    carga y descarga de mercancias en lugares situados a corta distancia unos
    de otros ;
c ) los servicios de urgencia ;
                                    Articulo 10
1 . Previa consulta a la Comisión , los Estados miembros adoptarán las disposicio¬
    nes legales reglamentarias y administrativas necesarias para cumplir la pre¬
    sente Directiva , en un plazo de 18 meses , a partir de su notificación . In¬
    formarán inmediatamente de ello a la Comisión ,
2 . Los Estados miembros comunicarán a la Comisión el texto de las disposicio¬
    nes básicas de Derecho interno , que adopten en el ámbito regulado por la
    presente Directiva .
                                    Articulo 11
Los destinatarios de la presente Directiva serán los Estados miembros .
Hecho en
                                                        Por la Comisión
 ---pagebreak---            COMPETITIVENESS AND EMPLOYMENT IMPACT STATEMENT
 I•    VThat is the main reason for introducing the measure ?
       This proposal for a compulsory use of safety belts on
       front and back seats aims at a reduction of risks of
       being injured or killed in road accidents for occupants
       of cars up to 3.500kg .
       A measure on European level will make it easier for car
       manufacturers to take the use of safety belts in
       consideration in design and production of safe cars for
       the common market . Moreover this measure will
       facilitate the circulation of persons by making the
       rules similar in the whole Community .
II .   Features of the business in question
       Enterprises which are involved in the production , sale
      and maintainance of cars .
      The fitting of safety belts for new seats will slightly
      increase tne price of vehicles and this will add to the
      costs of all businesses which use such vehicles .
III . What obligations does this measure impose direcly on
      business ?
      Business cars of categories Ml , M2 and 171 should be
      equipped with safety belts for all seats ( already
      obligatory in UK and the FRG ).
IV .  '.That indirect obligations are national , regional or
      local authorities likely to impose on business ?
      Implementation of the obligations as described under
      III .
 ---pagebreak---                                   2
V.    Are there any special provisions in respect of SME 's ?
      Hone
VI .  ' /hat is the likely effect on ;
      a ; tne compet i tiveness of business
           none
      b ) employé? ment
           none
VII . Have the relevant representative organisations been
      consulted ?
      Yes . Road Safety organisations gave a favourable
      opinion . Consultations of vehicle manufacturers took
      place at the adoption of the relevant type
      approval-Directives .