Commission Directive 2000/3/EC

of 22 February 2000

adapting to technical progress Council Directive 77/541/EEC relating to safety belts and restraint systems of motor vehicles

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of motor vehicles and their trailers1, as last amended by Directive 98/91/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council2,
Having regard to Council Directive 77/541/EEC of 28 June 1977 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to safety belts and restraint systems of motor vehicles3, as last amended by Commission Directive 96/36/EC4, and in particular Article 10 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Directive 77/541/EEC is one of the separate directives of the EC type-approval procedure which has been established by Directive 70/156/EEC. Consequently, the provisions laid down in Directive 70/156/EEC relating to vehicle systems, components and separate technical units apply to Directive 77/541/EEC.

(2)

In the light of technical progress it is possible to improve the protection provided for passengers by requiring the installation of three-point belts with retractors for all seats of motor vehicles of category M1.

(3)
By Council Decision 97/836/EC5, the Community acceded to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Agreement concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions, done at Geneva on 20 March 1958, as revised on 16 October 1995.
(4)

With its accession to the revised Agreement, the Community acceded to a defined list of regulations established pursuant to that Agreement. That list includes UN/ECE Regulation No 44 concerning the approval of restraining devices for child occupants of power-driven vehicles (child restraint system).

(5)

It is expedient to include requirements relating to the protection of children and therefore amend the Annexes to Directive 77/541/EEC by incorporating specific requirements for child restraint systems based on UN/ECE Regulation No 44. For the sake of clarity the full text of the Annexes to Directive 77/541/EEC should be replaced.

(6)

The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on the adaptation to technical progress established by Directive 70/156/EEC,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: