THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 concerning type-approval requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles, their trailers and systems, components and separate technical units intended therefor(1), and in particular Article 14(1)(a) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 is a separate Regulation for the purposes of type-approval provided for in Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 September 2007 establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles (Framework Directive)(2).
(2) Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 repeals Council Directive 76/114/EEC of 18 December 1975 on the approximation of the laws of Member States relating to statutory plates and inscriptions for motor vehicles and their trailers, and their location and method of attachment(3). The requirements set out in that Directive should be carried over to this Regulation and where necessary, amended in order to adapt them to the development of scientific knowledge.
(3) Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 lays down fundamental provisions on requirements for type-approval of vehicles with regard to vehicle identification methods. Therefore, it is necessary to also set out the specific procedures, tests and requirements for such type-approval.
(4) In the absence of harmonised legislation on the maximum permissible laden mass or maximum permissible masses for axles or axle groups of heavy duty vehicles, Directive 97/27/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 1997 relating to the masses and dimensions of certain categories of motor vehicles and their trailers and amending Directive 70/156/EEC(4) provides for the determination of registration/in-service maximum permissible masses to be determined for the purposes of registration, of the entry into service or of the use of heavy duty vehicles in the territory of a Member State. It is therefore appropriate to include the registration/in-service maximum permissible masses in the model of the manufacturer’s statutory plate. For road safety reasons, it is also appropriate to include the maximum permissible mass on an axle group.
(5) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Technical Committee Motor Vehicles,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: