Road safety: frontal protection systems on motor vehicles (amend. Directive 70/156/EEC)

 The committee adopted the report by Ewa HEDKVIST PETERSEN (PES, SE) broadly approving the proposal, subject to a number of amendments under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure. MEPs stressed that the directive was part of the European road safety action programme and was aimed at improving pedestrian and vehicle safety through passive measures.

The committee said that the Commission should add new provisions to Annex 1 for the rig testing of resilient frontal protection systems intended for sale as vehicle accessories in order to afford a standard of pedestrian protection equivalent to that provided by Directive 2003/102/EC.

MEPs also felt that, in such a rapidly-evolving field, legislation that was too far-reaching could become obsolete after some years. They therefore wanted to introduce a degree of flexibility with regard to the test requirements in Annex 1, so that new research results could be taken into account. They accordingly proposed slightly less stringent test requirements than those laid down by the Commission and also provided for the Commission to review the technical provisions of the directive, "in the light of technical progress and experience", no later than four years and nine months after it had been published. The Commission would have to report to Parliament and Council on the results of the review and adapt the directive where necessary.