92002E0852

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0852/02

by Jan Wiersma (PSE) to the Commission

(27 March 2002)

Subject: Blind spot mirrors

1. Has the Commission noted the Dutch Government's intention, because of the large number of accidents, to make blind spot mirrors mandatory on goods vehicles before the end of the year?

2. Is the Commission prepared to accept that, in doing so, the Netherlands is going beyond the relevant European rules, which make this mandatory for new goods vehicles only?

3. Is the Commission willing to consider extending the European rules to all goods vehicles on the basis of the Netherlands' experience?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(7 May 2002)

1. The Commission has indeed noted the Dutch Government's intention to make blind spot mirrors mandatory on goods vehicles before the end of 2002.

2. The Commission has very recently submitted a proposal for a Directive of the Parliament and of the Council(1) which will introduce mandatory harmonised requirements for the type-approval of mirrors and systems for indirect vision for motor vehicles of categories M (vehicles for the carriage of passengers) and N (vehicles for the carriage of goods). This proposed Directive is already being examined by the Parliament in first reading and by the Council working party on motor vehicles. If

adopted, it will amend Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of motor vehicles and their trailers(2) and will make it mandatory for all categories of vehicles instead of being voluntary within the type-approval system for light and heavy duty commercial vehicles. The Commission welcomes the initiative taken by the Netherlands to go even further and to introduce these mandatory harmonised requirements also for existing goods vehicles.

3. The Commission will indeed investigate the costs and benefits of equipping existing goods vehicles with such mirrors and vision enhancement systems and will, if justified, propose corresponding European legislation.

(1) COM(2001) 811 final.

(2) OJ L 42, 23.2.1970 as last amended OJ L 232, 23.8.1997.