29.1.2008 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 24/30
DIRECTIVE 2008/2/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
of 15 January 2008
on the field of vision and windscreen wipers for 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 74/347/EEC of 25 June 1974 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the field of vision and windscreen wipers for 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 74/347/EEC is one of the separate Directives of the EC type-approval system provided for in Council Directive 74/150/EEC 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 wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors as regards the field of vision and windscreen wipers. These 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 or 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 as set out in Annex II, Part B,
1.   ‘Agricultural or forestry tractor’ 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.
No Member State may refuse to grant EC type-approval or national type-approval of a tractor on grounds relating to windscreen wipers if these satisfy the requirements set out in Annex I.
No Member State may refuse the registration or prohibit the sale, entry into service or use of tractors on grounds relating to windscreen wipers, if these satisfy the requirements set out in Annex I.
The amendments necessary to adapt the requirements of Annex I to technical progress shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 20(2) of Directive 2003/37/EC.
Member States shall communicate to the Commission the texts of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.
Directive 74/347/EEC, as amended by the Directives listed in Annex II, Part A, is hereby 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 as set out in Annex II, 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 III.
This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 1 May 2008.
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.