CELEX: 51987PC0220
Language: en
Date: 1987-05-18
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DIRECTIVE amending Directive 85/3/EEC on the weights, dimensions and certain technical characteristics of certain road vehicles (submitted by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
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COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (87) 220
Vol. 1987/0124
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                COM(87 ) 220 final
                                                Brussels , 18 May 1987
                                  Proposai for a
                                COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
          amending Directive 85 / 3 / EEC on the weights , dimensions and
          certain technical characteristics of certain road vehicles
                         ( submitted by the Commission )
                                      Z01 10
 C0MC87 ) 220 final
 ---pagebreak---                                   2.
                           EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
A. GENERAL POINTS
   1 . Directive 85 / 3 / EEC on the weights , dimensions and some
       other technical characteristics of certain road vehicles
       lays down , in Annex I , a maximum permitted width for any
       vehicle of 2,50m .
   2 . International standardized pallets have dimensions of
       800x1200 mm or 1000x1200mm .
       Efficient use of the load space of a vehicle involves the
       transport of 2 pallets next to each other . Therefore an
       inside width of 2x1200mm + tolerances is needed . The
       tolerances are needed because pallets have to be moved in
       and out and the load on the pallet may bulge slightly .
       The total inside space needed will be around 2480mm .
   3 . For transportation of normal goods it is quite possible
       to have an inside width of 2480 and still not exceed the
       maximum authorized outside width of 2500mm .
       However , for the carriage of perishable foodstuffs a
       regulated temperature is needed in the vehicle which is
       obtained by insulated walls , doors , floor and roof and a
       source of cold ( e.g. a mechanical unit , dry ice , etc .).
       The thickness of the walls needed for insulation is
       dependent on the power of the refrigerating appliance and
       the difference between inside and outside temperatures .
   4 . Insulated walls , thicker than 45mm , combined with the
       extra necessary space needed betw’een the pallets for air
       circulation , make it impossible to accommodate the
       standard metric pallets and the internationally agreed
       external width . In practice this problem has been solved
       as follows     :
       i)   Recently perishable foodstuffs are carried in " thin
            wall " refrigerated vehicles i.e. vehicles whose
            side walls have been reduced below 45mm in thickness
            and with a more powerful refrigerating unit .
       ii ) At least six Member States have changed their
            national legislation on the external width which
            differs now from the values set out in Directive
            85 / 3 / EEC .
 ---pagebreak---                                   3
    Ad i )
    The first solution has the following disadvantages :
        Concern has been expressed throughout Europe regarding
        the problem of safety of perishable foodstuffs carried
         in thin wall equipment and the consequences for public
        health . Some Member States have entered in bilateral
        agreements on additional technical prescriptions for
         such equipment but still there are strong doubts about
        the safety of goods transported .
    -   The construction with thin walls involves much thicker
         insulation of floor and roof . This construction has
        obviously negative effects on the stability of the
        vehicle and consequently on road safety .
    -   Thin wall equipment is a less cost effective
         investment . These vehicles will deteriorate faster
        because of the vulnerability of the walls . This will
        make this expensive transport even more expensive and
        will have negative effects on the prices of products .
    -   The more powerful refrigerating unit needed in the
        wall equipment will consume more fuel and make more
         noise with disadvantageous effects on the environment
         and working conditions ( sleeping conditions ) of
        hauliers .
    Ad ii )
    The adoption of a maximum permitted external width in
    national legislations exceeding the value set out in the
    Community Directive by several Member States and the
    intention of other Member States to do the same is
    potentially damaging the free circulation of goods and an
    efficient manufacturing of vehicles . A range of
    derogations different from the dimensions set out in the
    Community Directive should be prevented .
5 . The attached draft proposal for an amendment of Directive
    85 / 3 / EEC seeks for a solution of the abovementioned
    problems by allowing a width of 2600mm for the category
    of temperature controlled vehicles only .
    The extra width will have a negative effect on Road
    Safety , especially in narrow places . However , the number
    of vehicles involved is very limited ( estimated at less
    than 1% of the total ) and the effect of more efficient
    loading will reduce the»number of car movements , which
    has a positive effect on Road Safety .
 ---pagebreak---                                   ч
B. THE DRAFT PROPOSAL
   Art._l_par^ 1_
   Article 2 of the Directive 85 / 3 /EEC should be extended with
   a definition of " refrigerated vehicle ". By this definition
   the Draft Directive is restricted to vehicles with " thick "
   insulated walls .
   Art ._1_par_L
   The maximum permitted width for refrigerated vehicles is
   fixed at 2,60m .
 ---pagebreak---                           Proposai for a
                       COUNCIL     DIRECTIVE
  amending Directive 85 / 3 / EEC on the weights , dimensions and
  certain technical characteristics of certain road vehicles
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Economic Community , and in particular Article 75 thereof ,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ,
Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament ,
Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee ,
 ---pagebreak---                                        £
Whereas     the transport of goods under temperature-controlled
conditions requires the use of specialized vehicles which are
generally equipped with insulated walls , floor and roof and
a refrigerating unit ,
Whereas extra internal space i s required for air circulation
and to ensure that the load is prevented from touching the
walls and whereas insulated walls are thicker than 45mm ;     whereas it is
therefore impossible to use efficiently standard pallets with
dimensions 1200x800mm and also to comply with a maximum
authorized width of 2500mm as          required for all vehicles by
                              i
Council Directive 85 / 3 / EEC ,
Whereas the use of thin walled vehicles             for carriage under
temperature controlled conditions in order to achieve both the
maximum permitted external width of 2500mm and the necessary
internal width should be discouraged for reasons of economy ,
public health , environment and road safety ,
Whereas therefore an exemption should be granted from the
maximum permitted width of 2500mm as laid down in
Directive 85 / 3 /EEC for the category of " refrigerated
vehicles " only ,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE ;
1
  0J No L 2 , 3.1.1985 , p.  14
 ---pagebreak---                                         ?
                                   Article 1
Directive 85 / 3 / EEC is hereby amended as follows :
1 . Article 2 is replaced by the following :
    " Article 2
    For the purposes of this Directive :
    - " motor vehicle " means any power-driven vehicle which
       travels on the road by its own means ;
    - " trailer " means any vehicle intended to be coupled to a
       motor vehicle , excluding semi-trailers ;
    - " semi-trailer " means any vehicle intended to be coupled
       to a motor vehicle in such a way that part of it rests
       on the motor vehicle and a substantial part of its
       weight and of the weight of its load is borne by the
       motor vehicle ;
    - " combined vehicle " means either :
        . a road train , consisting of a motor vehicle coupled
          to a trailer , or
        . an articulated vehicle consisting of a motor vehicle
          coupled to a semi-trailer ;
    - " refrigerated vehicle " means any vehicle which is
       specially designed for the carriage of goods at
       controlled temperature and of which the thickness of
       each of the side walls, inclusive of insulation , is at
       least 45mm ;
 ---pagebreak---     - " maximum authorized dimensions " means the maximum
       dimensions at which a vehicle is authorized for use in
       international traffic under this Directive by the
       competent authority of the State in which the vehicle
       is registered or put into circulation ;
    - " maximum authorized weight " means the maximum weight at
       which a laden vehicle is authorized for use in
       international traffic under this Directive by the
       competent authority of the State in which the vehicle
       is registered or put into circulation ;
    - " maximum authorized axle weight " means the maximum
       weight at which a laden axle or group of axles is
       authorized for use in international traffic under this
       Directive by the competent authority of the State in
       which the vehicle is registered or put into
       circulation . " .
2 . Point 1.2 . of Annex I is replaced by the following :
    " 1.2 . Maximum width
            - refrigerated vehicle                2 , 60m
            - any other vehicle                   2,50m "
                             Article 2
After consulting the Commission , Member States shall take
the measures necessary to comply with this Directive as from
1 January 1988 .
Member States shall inform the Commission of the measures
they take to implement - this Directive .
 ---pagebreak---                           Article 3
This Directive is addressed to the Member States .
Done at Brussels                 For the Council
                                 the President
 ---pagebreak---                                     lo
Fiche d' impact de certains actes législatifs sur les PUE et l' emploi
    1.   OBLIGATIONS ADMINISTRATIVES DECOULANT DE 1 ' APPLICATION DE LA
         LEGISLATION POUR LES ENTREPRISES : Néant
    2.   AVANTAGES POUR L' ENTREPRISE
         - OUI /^NÔN
         - LESQUELS : Utilisation plus rationnelle du véhicule
                         frigorifique
    3.   INCONVENIENTS POUR L' ENTREPRISE
         ( coûts supplémentaires )
         - e**i /NON
         - CONSEQUENCES
    4.   EFFETS SUR L' EMPLOI : Néant
    5.   Y A- T - IL EU CONCERTATION PREALABLE AVEC LES PARTENAIRES
         SOCIAUX ?
         - ©tM / NON
         - AVIS DES PARTENAIRES SOCIAUX    : Non
    6.   Y A- T - IL UNE APPROCHE ALTERNATIVE MOINS CONTRAIGNANTE ?
         Non