THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 70/157/EEC of 6 February 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the permissible sound level and the exhaust system of motor vehicles1, as last amended by Directive 87/354/EEC2, and in particular Article 3 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 70/220/EEC of 20 March 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles3, as last amended by Directive 88/436/EEC4, and in particular Article 5 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 72/245/EEC of 20 June 1972 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the suppression of radio interference produced by spark-ignition engines fitted to motor vehicles5, and in particular Article 4 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 72/306/EEC of 2 August 1972 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the measures to be taken against the emission of pollutants from diesel engines for use in vehicles6, and in particular Article 4 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 80/1268/EEC of 16 December 1980 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the fuel consumption of motor vehicles7, and in particular Article 3 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 80/1269/EEC of 16 December 1980 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the engine power of motor vehicles8, as last amended by Directive 88/195/EEC9, and in particular Article 3 thereof,

Whereas Council Directive 88/76/EEC10 amending Directive 70/220/EEC introduces requirements relating to the use of unleaded petrol; whereas the adaptation of existing engines to this petrol necessitates in many cases technical modifications which are relevant to the compliance with the abovementioned Directives; whereas it appears appropriate to facilitate the administrative handling of the resulting amendments of the type-approval of the vehicles concerned in the interests of rapidly increasing use of unleaded petrol; whereas it appears also necessary to render more precise the specifications of Directive 88/76/EEC preventing vehicles equipped with emission control devices which would be adversely affected by leaded petrol, to be refuelled with such petrol; whereas it appears equally appropriate to introduce the new reference fuel for diesel engines specified in this Directive into Directive 72/306/EEC relating to the smoke emissions of such engines; whereas it appears advisable to align on this occasion the technical provisions of Directive 80/1269/EEC relating to engine power to those of the corresponding Regulation of the Economic Commission for Europe;

Whereas it is desirable to introduce the amendments contained in the present Directive as soon as possible into the national laws concerned as they are particularly needed during the transitional period where vehicles conceived for the use of leaded petrol and vehicles requiring unleaded petrol will co-exist;

Whereas the provisions of this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Adaptation to Technical Progress of the Directives on Motor Vehicles,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: