Burning behaviour of materials used in the interior construction of certain categories of motor vehicle

Further to the approval of its common position by the European Parliament, the Council adopted the Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the burning behaviour of materials used in interior construction of certain categories of motor vehicles. The Directive is aimed at providing increased safety for the occupants of buses and coaches carrying more than 22 passengers, with the exception of those designed to carry standing passengers or for urban use. It lays down the minimum requirements for the materials used in vehicle interiors that are designed to prevent, or at the very least, to retard the spread of flames so that occupants may vacate the vehicles in the event of fire. Member States have 18 months in which to transpose the Directive.