31976A0152

COMMISSION OPINION of 20 January 1976 addressed to the Belgian Government on the draft Royal Decree amending the Royal Decree of 23 April 1971 implementing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1463/70 of 20 July 1970 on the introduction of recording equipment in road transport (76/152/EEC)

In accordance with Article 21 (1) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1463/70 of 20 July 1970 on the introduction of recording equipment in road transport, the Belgian Government, by letter dated 1 December 1975 from the Office of its Permanent Representative to the European Communities, sent to the Commission for its opinion, a draft Royal Decree amending the Royal Decree of 23 April 1971 implementing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1463/70.

The Commission notes that: - the draft Royal Decree proposed by the Belgian Government comes within Article 21 (1) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1463/70 of 20 July 1970;

- the said draft Royal Decree supplements and sets out in greater detail certain provisions of the Royal Decree of 23 April 1971 implementing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1463/70. It lays down, in particular: - the scope and period of application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1463/70,

- the authorities empowered to examine the applications for type approval,

- the staff responsible for checking for infringements,

- the authority responsible for intervening in case of dispute as to the accuracy of the information provided by the equipment.

It should be recalled that pursuant to Article 4 (2) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1463/70 of 20 July 1970, as amended by the sole Article of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1787/73 of 25 June 1973, the installation and use of recording equipment conforming to Annexes I and II to Regulation (EEC) No 1463/70 is to be compulsory for all vehicles used for the carriage of passengers and goods by road, as defined in Article 3 of that Regulation, with effect from 1 January 1980.

The Commission would therefore draw the attention of the Belgian Government to the fact that it should, within the normal period required to enable the Commission to deliver an opinion before that date, submit to the Commission a new draft Royal Decree referring exclusively to recording equipment conforming to Annexes I and II to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1463/70.

For these reasons, and subject to the abovementioned reservations, the Commission hereby delivers a favourable opinion.

Done at Brussels, 20 January 1976.

For the Commission

Carlo SCARASCIA MUGNOZZA

Vice-President