CELEX: 51988PC0544
Language: pt
Date: 1988-10-26
Title: Proposta de DIRECTIVA DO CONSELHO relativa à aproximação das legislações dos Estados-membros respeitantes ao uso obrigatório de cintos de segurança nos veiculos de menos de 3,5 toneladas (Apresentada pela Comissão)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (88) 544
Vol. 1988/0189
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 concernant
l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique européenne et de
la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, p. 1) modifié en dernier
lieu par le règlement (UE) 2015/496 du Conseil du 17 mars 2015 (JO L79 du 25. 3.2015, p. 1), ce
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In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 concerning
the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic Community and the
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In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1. Februar
1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und
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 ---pagebreak---  COMISSÃO DAS COMUNIDADES EUROPEIAS
                                           COM ( 88 ) 544 final
                                           Bruxelas , 26 de Outubro de 1988
                             Proposta de
                        DIRECTIVA DO CONSELHO
relativa à aproximação das legislações dos Estados-membros
  respeitantes ao uso obrigatório de cintos de segurança
          nos veiculos de menos de 3,5 toneladas
                    ( Apresentada pela Comissão )
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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 ) 0 . vT . No C 104 , 16.04.1984 , P.
(2)  O.J.     No C  68 , 24.03.1906 , P.
(3)  O.J.     No C  95 , 06.04.1934 , P.
(4)  O.J.     No C 341 , 21.12.1904 , P.
                                                                 "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 .
B.  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 1901 . Commission
      Directive 02 / 318 /EEC ( 4 ), of 2 April 1932 , stipulated ,
      amongst other things , that Member States could prohibit the
      entry into service ( from 1 October 1934 ) 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 01 / 575 /EEC and 32 / 318 /EEC were to be brought
      into force by Member States no later than 30 Septemberl982 .
( 1 ) O.J. No L      24 , 30.1.1976 , p. 6 .
( 2 ) O.J. No L 42 , 23.2.1970 , p. 1 .
( 3 ) O.J. Mo 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 ( 1 ) 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 .
(l)  0 . J.  No L 220 ,  29.8.1977 ,  P·  95 .
(2)  0 . J.  No L 209 ,  29.7.1981 ,  P·  32 .
(3)  0 . 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 ( l ), 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 : 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 S 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 8 ( 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---                                          Proposta de
                                    DIRECTIVA DO CONSELHO
           relativa à aproximação das legislações dos Estados-membros
              respeitantes ao uso obrigatório de cintos de segurança
                         nos veículos de menos de 3,5 toneladas
  0 CONSELHO DAS COMUNIDADES EUROPEIAS ,
  Tendo em conta o Tratado que Institui a Comunidade Económica Europeia e ,
  nomeadamente , o seu artigo 75o ,
  Tendo em conta a proposta da Comissão ,
  Tendo em conta o parecer do Parlamento Europeu ,
  Tendo em conta o parecer do Comité Económico e Social ,
  Considerando que as actuais legislações nacionais relativas ao uso
  obrigatório de cinto de segurança , quando existam , apresentam grandes
  divergências         e  que ,  portanto ,   é   necessário harmonizar esse uso obri ¬
  gatório ;
 Considerando que é conveniente instituir o uso obrigatório de cintos de
 segurança nos veículos de 3,5 toneladas , de modo a garantir um maior grau
 de segurança aos utentes da estrada ;
 Considerando que a Directlva 76 / 115 / CEE do Conselho , de 18 de Dezembro de
 1975 , relativa à aproximação das legislações dos Estados-membros
 respeitantes às fixações dos cintos de segurança                   dos veículos a
 motord ), com a última redacção que lhe foi dada pela Directlva
 82 / 318/CEE(2 ) , e a Directlva 77/ 541 /CEE do Conselho , de 28 de Junho de
 1977 , relativa à aproximação das legislações dos Estados-membros
 respeitantes aos cintos de segurança e aos sistemas de retenção dos
 veículos a motor ^ 3 ), com a última redacção que lhe foi dada pela
 Directlva      87 / 354 / CEE    ,    dizem respeito aos requisitos técnicos
 relativos      aos cintos de segurança que os veículos a motor devem
 satisfazer , mas não ao uso dos cintos de segurança ;
 Considerando que a Resolução de 19 de Dezembro de 1984(5 ), adoptada
 pelo Conselho e pelos representantes dos Governos dos Estados-membros das
 Comunidades Europeias , reunidos no âmbito do Conselho , pretende assegurar
 a rápida adopção de medidas de segurança rodoviária , tendo convidado a
 Comissão a apresentar propostas ;
 Considerando que os Relatórios do Parlamento Europeu sobre a Segurança
 Rodov I ár I a(® ) , (?) recomendaram que seja dado carácter obrigatório ao
uso de cintos de segurança por                 todos os passageiros ,  Incluindo as
crianças , em todas as estradas e em todos os bancos dos veículos de
passageiros ( com exclusão dos veículos de transporte público );
( 1 ) JO no L 24 de 30.1 . 1976 , p. 6 .
( 2 ) JO no L 139 de 19.5.1982 , p. 9 .
( 3 ) JO no L 220 de 29.8.1977 , p. 95 .
( 4 ) JO no L 192 de 11.7.1987 . p. 43 .
( 5 ) JO no C 341 de 21.12.1984 , p. 1
( 6 ) JO no c 104 de 16.4.1984 , p. 38 .
( 7 ) JO no c 68 de 24.3.1986 , p. 35 .
 ---pagebreak---                                       - 2 -
 Considerando   que   os   requisitos   técnicos relativos    aos   sistemas     de
 retenção para as crianças estão ainda a ser objecto de discussão e estudo
 por parte da Comissão e serão, portanto/ objecto de uma posterior alteração
 da presente dl rectiva ;
 Considerando que foi demonstrado por estudos que os bancos traseiros
 apresentam quase o mesmo grau de perigo que os bancos da frente para os
 ocupantes que não utilizam cintos , e que os ocupantes dos bancos
 traseiros não retidos por cintos aumentam o risco de ferimentos para os
 passageiros dos bancos da frente -, e que se poderá conseguir uma dimi ¬
nuição do número         de mortos e feridos se o uso de cintos nos bancos
 traseiros for tornado obrigatório ;
 Considerando que o estabelecimento da data de aplicação das medidas
 referidas na presente dlrectiva deverá prever o tempo necessário para que
sejam tomadas as disposições de aplicação exigidas , em especial nos
Estados-membros em que não haja ainda nada previsto nesta matéria ,
ADOPTOU A PRESENTE Dl RECTIVA :
                                    Art lao 10
Para efeitos do disposto na presente dlrectiva , entende-se por " veiculo "
qualquer veiculo a motor das categorias M e N , tal como definidas no
Anexo I da Dlrectiva 70/ 156/CEE do Conselho (1 ), destinado a transitar na estrada,
tendo pelo menos quatro rodas e uma velocidade máxima , por construção ,
superior a 25 km/ h .
                                    Art lao 2o
1 . Os Estados-membros devem assegurar que o condutor e os passageiros dos
bancos da frente dos veículos da categoria M1 que estejam em circulação ,
matriculados pela primeira vez em 1 de Março de 1979 ou após esta data ,
utilizam cintos de segurança .
2 . Os Estados-membros devem assegurar que , o ma Is tardar a partir de 1 de
Janeiro de 1993 , os passageiros que ocupam os bancos traseiros laterais
dos veículos da categoria M1 que estejam em circulação , matriculados pela
primeira vez em 1 de Janeiro de 1989 ou após esta data , estão seguros por
um sistema de retenção homologado .
( 1 ) JO no L 42 de 23.2.1970 , p.    1
 ---pagebreak---                                     Ar t i ao 3o
 Os Estados-membros devem assegurar que o condutor e os passageiros dos
 bancos da frente dos veículos das categorias N1 e N1 ( com exclusão dos
 veículos cujo peso máximo admissível exceda 3,5 toneladas e os que incluam
 lugares especialmente concebidos para passageiros em pé )y que estejam em
 circulação , matriculados pela primeira vez em 1 de Outubro de 1982 ou
 após esta data , utilizam cintos de segurança .
                                   Art I ao 4o
 Sem prejuízo do disposto nos artigos 22 e             32, um Estado-membro pode
 estabelecer    datas   anteriores      para     a    primeira    matricula    nesse
 Estado-membro de veículos nos quais é obrigatório o uso de cintos de
 segurança .
                                   Ar 1 1 ao 5o
No caso de veículos das categorias M1 e M2 que , aquando da recepção , não
estejam ainda equipados com cintos de segurança e/ou fixações nos ban¬
cos a seguir referidos , estarão isentos do disposto nos artigos 22 e 32 :
a ) Os passageiros dos bancos da frente que não sejam bancos laterais ;
b ) 0 condutor e os passageiros dos bancos da frente dos veículos da
    categoria M2 com ma Is de 12 lugares excluindo o do condutor .
                                   Ar 1 1 ao 6o
0 disposto nos artigos       22 ,  32       e   42    aplica-se     a condutores e
passageiros de veículos que circulem nas estradas da Comunidade e estejam
matriculados num pais terceiro , se tais veículos estiverem equipados com
cintos de segurança .
                                   Art lao 70
Os Estados-membros podem isentar as crianças de idade inferior a doze anos
do disposto nos artigos 22 e 32 . No caso de se verificar esta isenção ,
tais crianças devem viajar nos bancos traseiros do veiculo desde que este
disponha de tais bancos .
                                   Art lao 8o
As seguintes categorias de pessoas            ficam        isentas do disposto nos
art Igos 2o e 30 :
    a)   Todos    os  condutores ,   sempre       que    efectuarem   manobras    de
         marcha-atrás ou de estacionamento ;
    b)   Todos os condutores e passageiros com ma Is de doze anos de Idade
         de altura Inferior a 1,5 m .
 ---pagebreak---       c)   Mulheres grávidas , quando possuidoras de um certificado médico ;
           este certificado deve mencionar a data em que cessa a derrogação ;
      d)   Pessoas possuidoras de um certificado de Isenção por             graves
           razões de saúde , passado pelas autoridades competentes .
      0 certi fi cado médi co mencionado nas alíneas c ) e d ; deve ser apresentado
     sempre que tal for exigido Dor um agente competente .
     Qualquer destes certificados passados pela autoridade competente de um
     Estado-membro será válido nos outros Estados-membros .
                                      Artigo 92
  Para além das previstas no artigo 82, os Estados-membros podem conceder der¬
  rogações a :
  a ) Condutores de táxis quando em serviço;
 b ) Distribuidores , quando carreguem e descarreguem             mercador las suces ¬
     sivamente e em locais pouco afastados entre si ;
 c ) Serviços de urgência .
                                      Art lao 10Q
 1 . Após consulta da Comissão , os Estados-membros porão em vigor as
 disposições legislativas , regulamentares e administrativas necessárias
 para darem cumprimento à presente dlrectlva no prazo de 18 meses a contar
da sua notificação , e desse facto Informarão Imediatamente a Comissão .
 2 . Os Estados-membros assegurarão que os textos das principais
disposições legislativas nacionais que adoptarem no domínio regulado pela
presente dlrectlva sejam comunicados à Comissão .
                                     Art ioo 1 1O
Os Estados-membros são destinatários da presente dlrectlva .
Feito em Bruxelas , em
                                                         Pelo Conselho
 ---pagebreak---           COMPETITIVENESS AND EMPLOYMENT IMPACT STATEMENT
       What 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 the 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 III should be
      equipped with safety belts for all seats ( already
      obligatory in UK and the FRG ) .
IV .  What indirect obligations are national , regional or
      local authorities likely to impose on business ?
      Implementation of the obligations as described under
      III .
                                                               M
 ---pagebreak---                                 2
V.    Are there any special provisions in respect of SME 's ?
      Mo ne
VI .  What is the likely effect on :
      a ) the competitiveness of_business
          none
      b ) emuloyeraent
          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
      approva 1-Pirectives .
                                                                r.1
                                                              /