4 Member States ordered to apply Vehicle Size & Weight Rules

Publication date: 13 October 2004

The Commission today issued reasoned opinions against Greece, Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg for their failure, to date, to notify measures for the transposition into national law of Community legislation relating to the maximum weights and maximum authorised dimensions for certain road vehicles.

The Directive in question supplements the existing legislation by extending the harmonisation of the maximum authorised dimensions to include road vehicles transporting passengers [Directive 2002/7/EC amending Directive 96/53/EEC]. Differences between standards in force in the Member States with regard to the dimensions of these vehicles may have an adverse effect on the conditions of competition and constitute an obstacle to traffic within the EU.

Greece, Spain Portugal and Luxembourg have failed to communicate measures for transposing this Directive into national law, despite the fact that the deadline for doing so was 9 March 2004.

The sending of reasoned opinions represents the second stage in the infringement procedure for failure to transpose directives within the time limits specified. Member States have two months in which to reply, failing which the procedure will be pursued.