Motor vehicles and trailers: masses and dimensions

OBJECTIVE: the Directive seeks to introduce regulations on construction and design, and the calculation methods to be employed by manufacturers, for the purpose of obtaining EC type-approval in respect of the masses and dimensions of motor vehicles other than private cars. The Directive is intended to complement the requirements for full EC type-approval of commercial vehicles and trailers. COMMUNITY MEASURE: European Parliament and Council Directive 97/27/EC on the masses and dimensions of certain categories of motor vehicles and their trailers, amending Directive 70/156/EEC. CONTENT: La Directive incorporates, with respect to vehicle dimensions, references to the values set in Directive 96/53/EC. It also takes account, for purposes of vehicle type-approval, of the exemptions provided for by that Directive. Regarding masses, the Directive creates an evolutive framework enabling harmonised masses to be incorporated once they have been fixed under Directive 96/53/EC. The framework in question is Annex IV, which introduces a uniform procedure for determining registration-in-service maximum permissible mass in each Member State. The procedure is to serve for determining not only the maximum mass of the laden vehicle but also the maximum mass on the axle, the maximum towable mass and the maximum laden mass of a tractor/trailer combination. The Directive emphasises the need to ensure a high level of public safety and to seek constant improvements in safety, particularly with regard to certain types of trailers. DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE: 22/07/1997. �