30.7.2009 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 198/4
DIRECTIVE 2009/58/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
of 13 July 2009
on the coupling device and the reverse of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors
(Codified version)
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 95 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (2),
Whereas:
(1) Council Directive 79/533/EEC of 17 May 1979 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the coupling device and the reverse of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors (3) has been substantially amended several times (4). In the interests of clarity and rationality the said Directive should be codified.
(2) Directive 79/533/EEC is one of the separate Directives of the EC type-approval system provided for in Council 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 forestry tractors, as replaced by Directive 2003/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on type-approval of agricultural or forestry tractors, their trailers and interchangeable towed machinery, together with their systems, components and separate technical units (5), and lays down technical prescriptions concerning the design and construction of agricultural or forestry tractors as regards the coupling device and the reverse. Those technical prescriptions concern the approximation of the laws of the Member States to enable the EC type-approval procedure provided for in Directive 2003/37/EC to be applied in respect of each type of tractor. Consequently, the provisions laid down in Directive 2003/37/EC relating to agricultural and forestry tractors, their trailers and interchangeable towed machinery, together with their systems, components and separate technical units, apply to this Directive.
(3) This Directive should be without prejudice to the obligations of the Member States relating to the time-limits for transposition into national law and application of the Directives set out in Annex III, Part B,
1.   For the purposes of this Directive ‘tractor’ (agricultural or forestry) means any motor vehicle, fitted with wheels or endless tracks and having 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. It may be equipped to carry a load and passengers.
2.   This Directive shall apply only to tractors defined in paragraph 1 which are equipped with pneumatic tyres and have a maximum design speed of between 6 and 40 km/h.
1.   No Member State may refuse to grant EC type-approval, to issue the document provided for in Article 2(u) of Directive 2003/37/EC, or to grant national type-approval in respect of a type of tractor on grounds relating to the coupling device or to the reverse if these satisfy the requirements set out in Annexes I and II.
2.   Member States may not issue the document provided for in Article 2(u) of Directive 2003/37/EC in respect of a type of tractor which does not meet the requirements of this Directive.
Member States may refuse to grant national type-approval in respect of a type of tractor which does not meet the requirements of this Directive.
No Member State may refuse the registration or prohibit the sale, initial entry into service or use of tractors on grounds relating to the coupling device or to the reverse, if these satisfy the requirements set out in Annexes I and II.
The amendments necessary to adapt to technical progress the requirements of Annexes I and II shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 20(3) of Directive 2003/37/EC.
Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.
Directive 79/533/EEC, as amended by the Directives listed in Annex III, Part A, is repealed, without prejudice to the obligations of the Member States relating to the time-limits for transposition into national law and application of the Directives set out in Annex III, Part B.
References to the repealed Directive shall be construed as references to this Directive and shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex IV.
This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 1 January 2010.
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.