Council adopts Directive on Speed Limitation Devices

Publication date: 20 January 2004

The Council of Ministers adopted today in first reading a proposal for a directive (COM(2003) 350 final - 2003/0122 (COD)) amending Council Directive 92/24/EC relating to the assembly requirements of speed limitation devices in light commercial vehicles. All vehicles containing more than eight seats in addition to the driver's used for the carriage of passengers (categories M2 and M3), and all good vehicles over 3.5 tonnes maximum mass (categories N2 and N3) will be covered by the new directive.

com2003_350_speed_limiters.pdf (22 KB)

Background:
Directive 92/24/EEC contains the technical requirements for type-approval of speed limitation devices and applies to motor vehicles of categories N2 (medium trucks) and M3 (buses and coaches) with a maximum mass exceeding 10 tonnes and to motor vehicles of category N3 (heavy trucks). This directive is linked with Directive 92/6/EC, regulating the installation and use of speed limitation devices for the same categories of vehicles.

Based on the positive experience and to further promote road safety and environmental protection Directive 2002/85/EC on the installation and use of speed limitation devices has been adopted recently. This Directive extends the scope of Directive 92/6/EC and introduces speed limitation devices for all vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2 and N3. In order to cover all the vehicles and speed limiters under this directive, it was necessary to amend the scope of Directive 92/24/EC in terms of speed limiter construction.

More information:
- Economic and Financial Affairs Council: provisional conclusions
5082_04_presse_4.pdf (195 KB)