CELEX: 51976PC0701
Language: en
Date: 1976-12-22
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DIRECTIVE ON THE APPROXIMATION OF THE LAWS OF THE MEMBER STATES RELATING TO THE WEIGHTS AND DIMENSIONS OF CERTAIN MOTOR VEHICLES

No C 15/4                             Official Journal of the European Communities                            20.1. 77
                                                              II
                                                      (Preparatory Acts)
                                                  COMMISSION
                Proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
                              relating to the weights and dimensions of certain motor vehicles
                           (Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 31 December 1976)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,                          Member States of the inspections carried out by each
                                                                  of them on the basis of common provisions; whereas,
                                                                  for it to operate effectively, such a system calls for
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the                      the implementation of these requirements by all
 European Economic Community, and in particular                   Member States with effect from the same date;
 Article 100 thereof,
                                                                  Whereas the provisions of this Directive, which is
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
                                                                  limited to motor vehicles of category Mi, are
                                                                  adopted in anticipation of the implementation of the
Having regard to the opinion of the European                      provisions relating to weights and dimensions of all
 Parliament,                                                      categories of motor vehicles,
 Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and
Social Committee,
                                                                  HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Whereas the technical requirements which motor
 vehicles must satisfy pursuant to national laws relate,                                 Article 1
inter alia, to their weights and dimensions;
                                                                  For the purposes of this Directive, 'vehicle' means
Whereas those requirements differ from one Member
                                                                  any motor vehicle in category Mi (defined in Annex I
State to another; whereas it is therefore necessary
                                                                  of Directive 70/156/EEC) designed for use on the
 that all Member States adopt the same requirements
                                                                  road, having at least four wheels, a maximum design
 either in addition to or in place of their existing rules
                                                                  speed exceeding 25 km/h, and a permissible
in order, in particular, to allow the EEC
                                                                  maximum laden weight of not more than 3 500 kg
 type-approval procedure which was the subject of
                                                                  with the exception of vehicles which run on rails,
 Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970 on
                                                                  agricultural or forestry tractors and machinery, and
 the approximation of the laws of the Member States
                                                                  public works vehicles.
 relating to the type-approval of motor vehicles and
 their trailers (1), to be applied in respect of each type
 of vehicle;
                                                                                         Article 2
 Whereas the approximation of national laws relating              No Member State may refuse to grant EEC
 to motor vehicles involves the mutual recognition of             type-approval or national type-approval of a vehicle
                                                                  on grounds relating to its weights and dimensions, if
                                                                  they satisfy the requirements set out in Annex I
 (») OJ No L 42, 23. 2. 1970, p. 1.                               hereto.
 ---pagebreak--- 20.1. 77                            Official Journal of the European Communities                           No C 15/5
                        Article 3                              1 June 1978 and          shall  forthwith inform   the
                                                               Commission thereof.
No Member State may refuse to register or may
prohibit the sale, entry into service or use of a vehicle      They shall implement these provisions with effect
on grounds relating to its weights and dimensions, if          from 1 January 1979.
they satisfy the requirements set out in the Annex I
hereto.
                                                               2.    After notification of this Directive, Member
                        Article 4                              States shall take steps to inform the Commission, in
                                                               sufficient time for it to submit its comments, of any
Any amendments necessary to adapt the requirements             draft laws, regulations or administrative provisions
of the Annexes to take account of technical progress           which they intend to adopt in the field covered by the
shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure              Directive.
laid down in Article 13 of Directive 70/156/EEC.
                        Article 5
                                                                                       Article 6
1.    Member States shall adopt and publish the
provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by          This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 15/6                           Official Journal of the European Communities                              20.1.77
                                                        ANNEX 1
          1. DIMENSIONS
             1.1. The permissible maximum dimensions of vehicles, as defined in Annex I of Directive
                  70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970, are the following:
                  1.1.1. length: 11000 mm,
                  1.1.2. width:     2 500 mm,
                  1.1.3. height:    4 000 mm.
          2. WEIGHTS
             2.1. The permissible maximum laden weight is the technical permissible maximum laden
                  weight.
             2.2. The technical permissible maximum laden weight shall not exceed 3 500 kg. It must
                  meet the following requirements:
                  2.2.1. the technically permissible maximum weight of the vehicle and of its individual
                          axles shall not be less than that which is the appropriate such weight relative to
                          the seating and luggage-carrying capacity of the vehicle. These weights shall be
                         determined under the following conditions:
                         2.2.1.1. a mass of 68 kg is placed on each seating position,
                         2.2.1.2. a mass of 7 kg for each seating position is placed centrally in the boot
                                  (or, if there are two boots, distributed between them as specified by the
                                  manufacturer),
                         2.2.1.3. if any seat is adjustable in forward'rearward direction, it shall be placed
                                  in the middle of the adjustment range of normal use.
                  2.2.2. When the vehicle and the rear axle are both loaded to their technically permissible
                          maximum laden weight, then the load on the steered wheels must be at least
                          30 % of the total technically permissible maximum laden weight of the vehicle.
          3. APPLICATION FOR EEC TYPE-APPROVAL
             3.1. Applications for EEC type-approval in respect of vehicle weights and dimensions are to
                  be submitted by the vehicle manufacturer or his authorized representative.
             3.2. Applications should be accompanied by a sketch of the vehicle (in triplicate), showing
                  the weights and dimensions.
             3.3. A vehicle representative of the type of vehicle for which type-approval is sought should
                  be delivered to the technical service responsible for carrying out the approval tests.
 ---pagebreak--- 20.1.77                            Official Journal of the European Communities                        N o C 15/7
                                                      ANNEX 11
                                         (Maximum format: A 4 (210 X 297 mm))
                                                                           Name of administration
        Annex to the EEC vehicle type-approval certificate with regard to the weights and dimensions
        (Article 4 (2) and Article 10 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).
        Type-approval No
          1. Trade name or mark of the vehicle
          2. Vehicle type
          3. Manufacturer's name and address
          4. Where applicable, name and address of manufacturer's authorized representative
          5. Description of the type of vehicle concerning the weights and dimensions
          6. Date on which vehicle presented for type-approval
          7. Technical service conducting type-approval examination
          8. Date of test report issued by that service
          9. Number of test report issued by that service
        10. Type-approval in respect of the weights and dimensions granted/refused (')
         11. Place
         12. Date
         13. Signature
         14. A sketch of the entire vehicle showing the weights and dimensions which are dealt with in
              this Directive, is annexed to this communication.
        (l) Delete as appropriate.