CELEX: 51978PC0385
Language: en
Date: 1978-09-20
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DIRECTIVE on the approximation of the laws of Member States relating to the - Towing Hooks - Reverse on wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (78) 385
Vol. 1978/0145
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                  COM(78)385 final.
                                                  Brussels , 20 September 1978
                               Proposal for a
                              COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
    on "the approximation of the laws of Member States relating to the
                               - Towing Hooks
                               - Reverse
               on wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors
               ( submitted to the Council by the Commission)
COM(78 ) 385 final .
 ---pagebreak---                             EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
 GENERAL REMARKS
           This proposal for a Directive is to fox-c; p<>rt of the Community
type-approval procedure provided for in Council Directive 74/l50/EEC
 of 4 March 1974    ( l ).
           It concerns the requirements as to towing hooks and to the
reverse of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors .
           The Commission has decided that tractors must Toe fitted with
a device for the attachment of a towing bar or cable since such a
device has proved not only useful "but necessary for the removal of
vehicles which have broken down on the public highway or in the fields .
Where such a device is absent at the front , the towing of tractors is
delayed and complicated , and their safety may be impaired since an
improvised fitting ( on the bumper bar or some other part of the vehicle )
can damage the steering mechanism .
          The part concerning the reverse is based on the Convention on
road traffic ( Vienna , 8 November 1968 ) which provides on all vehicles
having a maximum authorized weight over 300 kg.
CMMENTS CN THE ARTICLES
          The Directive applies to wheeled agricultural or forestry
tractors having a maximum design speed of 6-25 km/h as also provided
for in the Directive on type approval ( Article l ).
          Article 2 incorporates in the EEC type-approval procedure
t"he requirements for the towing hook and the rfeverse .
(I)   O.J. N° L84 , 28.3.1974 , p. 10.
 ---pagebreak---                                         - 2 -
                 Since certain new Member States at present do not carry out
     national type approval it is necessary to draft provisions enabling
     tractors complying with the requirements of the Directive ( Article 3 )
                                             \
     to be used in those States .
                 Art ids 7 provides for the adaptation of the Directive to
     technical progress ; "" lis procedure is set. out in Ax-fc -j. ole 13 of the
     Council IsireotLva of 4 Karob. 1974 relating to iho -fcypa approval of
     wheslsd agri ov.lt ural or forestry tractors *
                 Article 5 provides that MemVar States must cciaply -with the
     Pirootiv® within a period of 13 months ( Article- 5 ? par . l ).
                 Finally tha Oouiraiesion roust ho not if.i ad within & reasonable
     epaos of time of all draft px'ovisions dratsn up hjr the Meafoer States
     in the field covered by the Directive ? in ordor to enable the
     Commission to comment thereon , if necessary ( Article 5 ? pax** 2 ).
11X0 CCgTSUI./TATIgT OF THE EUROPPAF FARL1AWEK? illD THIil ECCBfC&Tig AND SOCIAL
     CQ4MITTEE
                 The Opinion of. these two institutions is required under
     Article 100 , al«2
 ---pagebreak--- THE COUNCIL CP THE EUROPEAN C(»MUNITIES s
Having regard to the treaty establishing the Eurcpcc-n Economic
Community , and in particular Article 100 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 Eoonomio and Social Committee ,
Whereas the technical requirements with which tractors must comply
pursuant to national laws relate , inter alia , to the towing hook and the
reverse .
Whereas these requirements differ from one Member State to another ;
whereas it is therefore necessazy that all Member States adopt the
same requirements either in addition to or in place of their existing
rules , in order , in partioular , to allow the EEC type-approval
procedure whioh was the subject of the Pouncil Directive 74/150/eeC of
4 March 1974 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to the type–approval of wheeled agricultural or forestiy
tractors to be applied in respect of each type of tractor ( l ) ;
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE t
                               Article 1
1.        "Agricultural or forestry tractor" means any motor vehicle ,
fitted with wheels or caterpillar tracks and ha.ving at least two
axles , the main function of which lies in its tractive power and which
is specially designed to tow , push , carry or power certain tools ,
machinery or trailers intended for agricultural or forestry use 0    It
may be equipped to carry a load and passengers -,
2.        This Directive shall apply only to tractors defined in the
preceding paragraph which are fitted with pneumatic tyres and which
have tv:o axles and a maximum design speed of between 6 and 25 kin/h «
                                                                        »I©
X3T ~ OTJ7 8° L84 . ?3 Earch 1974 ; p,10
 ---pagebreak--- 3
                                 Article 2
  No Member State may refuse to gran    EEC type-approval or national
  type-approval of a tractor on grounds relating to the towing hook or
  the reverse if these satisfy the requirements set out in the Annex
  hereto .
                                 Article 3
  ITo Member Stats may recuse the registration or prohibit the sale , entry
  into aervics or UFSQ of tractors on grounds relating to the towing hook
  or   the reverse if these satisfy the requirements set out .in the Annex
  hereto .
                                 Article 4
  The amendments necessary for adapting to technical progress the
  requirements of the Annex    shall be adopted in accordance with the
  procedure laid down in Article 13 of Directive 74/150/ESC .
                                 Article 5
  1.        Member States shall bring into force the provisions necessary
  in order to comply with this Directive within 18 months of its
  notification and shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof .
  2.        As soon as this Directive has been notified , the Member States
  shall ensure that the Commission is informed , in sufficient time for
   it to submit its comments , of any draft laws , regulations or
   administrative provisions which they intend to adopt in the field
   covered by the Directive .
                                 Article 6
  This Directive is addressed to the Member States .
 ---pagebreak---                                   r AMEX
TOWING HOOK
Number
Every tractor shall have a special device to which a conneotion such
as a tow "bar or a tow rope can be attached for towing purposes .
Position
The device shall be fitted to the front of the tractor *
Design                       *
The device shall be of the slotted jaw type *                The functional
dimensions specified must be adherred to *--
                           !'         ass :
              :       •'          ^    : r -T   1    »
                     o   « *
                     tO <01         •       _JI            -    -
                                                       -" 'all dimensions in mm
              ■ ; !                                i
                         .!■ W   /\M I
                                                  !■
                               jL. JyvQ           *•
The pin shall have a diameter of 30 + 1*3 ( l ) and shall be equipped
with a device preventing it from leaving its seating during use *
The securing devioe shall be non-detachable * '                >
                                                                    • • •/•• •
( l ) The tolerance should not be regarded as a manufacturing tolerance
      but as a permissible variation in nominal dimensions for pins of
      different designs *
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 2 -                    Annex
     The specifications of tha materials and dimensions shall be suca
     i; hat the device shall permit the tractor to he towed with a very
     high safety coefficient®
II » REVERSE
     All tractors suast be ©quipped        a device for reTsratng which can
     fe* o-oerated frcm 'She driving position*