Tractors and agricultural or forestry machinery: rear-mounted protective devices

The European Union is harmonising the technical requirements concerning roll-over protective structures fitted to the rear of narrow-track tractors. In this way, it is participating in the implementation of the Community type-approval procedure put in place by Directive 74/150/EEC and subsequently repealed and replaced by Directive 2003/37/EC.

ACT

Council Directive 86/298/EC on rear-mounted roll-over protection structures for narrow-track wheeled agricultural and forestry tractors [See amending acts].

SUMMARY

The directive applies to tractors having the following characteristics:

• a maximum ground clearance of 600 millimetres;
• a minimum track of the axle fitted with the widest tyres of less than 1 150 millimetres;
• an unladen weight of more than 600 kilogrammes.

Each Member State will component type approve all types of roll over protective structure, together with their attachment to the tractor if this meets the design and testing requirements set out in the annexes to the directive. An EC component approval mark is then issued to it.

Member States may not prohibit the placing on the market of a tractor, nor reject EC or national approval if it meets the requirements of the directive.

The competent authorities in the Member States shall keep each other informed of any action that they take in order to ensure that protective structures conform to the type that has been component type approved. They may go as far as to withdraw an EC component type approval where there is serious, repeated failure to conform.

The directive will be amended in order to take account of technical progress.

Directive 86/298/EC is repealed by Regulation (EU) No 167/2013 with effect from 1 January 2016.

Last updated: 02.07.2014