Motor vehicles with trailers: rear fog lamps (until 2014)

The purpose of this directive is to introduce harmonised technical requirements for rear fog lamps in order to allow the implementation of the Community type- approval procedures.

ACT

Council Directive 77/538/EEC of 28 June 1977 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to rear fog lamps for motor vehicles and their trailers

SUMMARY

Directive 77/538/EEC

Rear fog lamp means the lamp used to render the vehicle more readily visible from the rear in dense fog.

Each Member State must grant component type-approval for any type of rear fog lamp which satisfies the construction and testing requirements laid down in the Annexes to the Directive, and issue an EC component type-approval mark. The Member State which has granted EC component type-approval must take the measures required in order to verify that production models conform to the approved type.

Member States may not:

• prohibit the placing on the market of rear fog lamps on grounds relating to their construction or method of functioning if they bear the EC component type-approval mark.
• refuse to grant EC type-approval or national type-approval of any vehicle on grounds relating to its rear fog lamps if these bear the EC component type-approval mark and are fitted in accordance with the requirements laid down in Directive 76/756/EEC.
• prohibit the sale, registration, entry into service or use of any vehicle on grounds relating to its rear fog lamps if these bear the EC component type-approval mark and are fitted in accordance with the requirements laid down in Directive 76/756/EEC.

Directive 89/518/EEC

This Directive adapts the previous Directive to technical progress, and simplifies the EC component type-approval mark for rear fog lamps where they are grouped together with, combined with or reciprocally incorporated in other lamps. The definitions set out in Directive 76/756/EEC (grouped lamps, combined lamps, light source with regard to filament lamps, etc.) are also applicable to Directive 77/538/EEC.

Directive 99/14/EC

In the light of technical progress, this Directive radically amends the Annexes to Directive 77/538/EEC, in particular with regard to the information document and type-approval certificate. Directive 99/14/EC also simplifies the type-approval procedures to maintain the equivalence between Directive 77/538/EEC and the corresponding regulations of the United Nations' Economic Commission for Europe.

From 1 April 2000, Member States may no longer grant EC type-approval, and may refuse to grant national type-approval, for any type of vehicle on grounds relating to rear fog lamps, if the requirements of Directive 77/538/EEC are not fulfilled.

Any amendments necessary to adapt the provisions in the Annexes to technical progress will be adopted pursuant to the procedure set out in Article 13 of Directive 70/156/EEC.

Directive 77/538/EEC is repealed by Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 with effect from 12 November 2014.

Last updated: 02.07.2014