THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Directive 97/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 1997 on certain components and characteristics of two or three-wheel motor vehicles(1) and in particular Article 7 thereof,
Having regard to Directive 2002/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 March 2002 relating to the type-approval of two or three-wheel motor vehicles(2) and in particular Article 17 thereof,
Having regard to Directive 2009/67/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 on the installation of lighting and light-signalling devices on two or three-wheel motor vehicles(3) and in particular Article 4 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) The Union is a contracting party to the Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted to and/or used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions (‘Revised 1958 Agreement’)(4). In order to simplify the type-approval legislation of the Union in line with the recommendations of the final report entitled ‘CARS 21: A Competitive Automotive Regulatory System for the 21st century’, it is appropriate to amend EU Directives by the incorporation into Union law and application of additional UNECE Regulations in current type-approval legislation of L-category vehicles without reducing the level of protection. To reduce the administrative burden associated with the type-approval procedures, vehicle manufacturers should be allowed to seek type-approval in accordance with the relevant UNECE regulations referred to in Article 1 of this Directive.
(2) In the transitional period until the date on which UNECE Regulation No 41 on noise emissions of motorcycles(5) is made obligatory in Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2013 on the approval and market surveillance of two- or three-wheel vehicles and quadricycles(6), it is appropriate that, for new vehicle types, the sound requirements for motorcycles set out in Chapter 9 of Directive 97/24/EC and in the fourth series of amendments to UNECE Regulation No 41, including the associated sound limits set-out in Annex 6 to that UN Regulation, be regarded as equivalent.
(3) In view of the disproportionately high level of hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions produced by vehicle categories L1e, L2e and L6e (two- and three-wheel mopeds, and light quadricycles) it is appropriate to revise environmental test type I (tailpipe emissions after cold start) by including emission measurements starting directly after cold start in order better to reflect real-world use and the significant proportion of pollutant emissions produced directly after cold start while the engine warms up. The changes in the emission laboratory test procedure should be reflected in the administrative provisions, in particular in the changes as regards to the entries on the Certificate of Conformity (CoC) and of the measurement test results sheet in Directive 2002/24/EC.
(4) In order to ensure a level playing field for all manufacturers and for the sake of equal environmental performance of L1e, L2e and L6e category vehicles in terms of crankcase gas emissions it is also appropriate to request the vehicle manufacturer, when applying for a new type approval, to state explicitly that zero emissions stem from the crankcase gas ventilation system for these vehicle categories, implying that the crankcase is properly sealed and that the crankcase gasses are not being discharged directly into the ambient atmosphere throughout the vehicle’s useful life.
(5) In order to be coherent with UNECE lighting and light-signalling installation requirements for L-category vehicles and to improve their visibility, new types of such vehicles should be equipped with lights that switch on automatically in compliance with UNECE Regulations No 74 (L1e vehicles)(7) and No 53 (L3e motorcycles)(8) or with dedicated day-time running lights (DRL) complying with the relevant requirements of UNECE Regulation No 87(9). For all other subcategories of L-category vehicles, an automatic switching on of lighting shall be installed or at the choice of the manufacturer, dedicated day-time running lights that automatically switch on.
(6) This Directive should explicitly introduce the Euro level for category L1e, L2e and L6e vehicles falling in the scope of Directive 2002/24/EC. Certificates of Conformity for vehicles with an emission approval in accordance with previous provisions should continue to be allowed to indicate the Euro level on a voluntary basis.
(7) The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Technical Committee for Adaptation to Technical Progress.
(8) In order to enable the adoption by Member States of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive within the deadline established therein, it should enter into force on the day following that of its publication,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: