No L 375/36 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 80 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 16 December 1980 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the fuel consumption of ' motor vehicles ’ (80/1268/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro- pean Ecomomic¢ Ceommunity, and in particular Article 100 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commis- sion (1), Having regard to the opinion of the European Par- liament (?), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas the technical requirements which motor vehicles must satisfy pursuant to certain national laws relate inter alia to the method of measuring fuel consumption which must be used to indicate the fuel consumption of a vehicle type; Whereas those requirements differ from one Mem- ber State to another; whereas this results in techni- cal barriers to trade which must be eliminated by all Member States adopting the same requirements either in addition to or in place of their existing rules, in order in particular to allow the EEC type- approval procedure which was the subject of Coun- - cil 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 (*), as last amended by Directive 80/ 1267/EEC (%), to be introduced in respect of each type of vehicle; ‘ . Whereas it is of paramount importance to establish a method of measuring fuel consumption by motor vehicles for inclusion in Community requirements; Whereas a Community method of measuring fuel consumption is also necessary to ensure, in particu- lar, that customers and users are supplied with objective and precise information; () OJ No C 104, 28. 4. 1980, p. 1. (?) OJ No C 265, 13. 10. 1980, p. 76. (®>) OJ No C 182,21.7.1980, p. 3. (*) OJNoL42,23.2.1970,p. 1. (°) See page 34 of this Official Journal. Whereas the requirements of this Directive apply only to motor vehicles in international motor vehicle classification category M, as set out in Directive 70/156/EEC; whereas a method of measuring the fuel consumption of the other categories of motor vehicles will be established as soon as certain tech- . nical difficulties can be resolved, HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: - Article 1 For the purpose of this Directive, ‘vehicle’ means any motor vehicle intended for use on the road, with or without bodywork, having at least four wheels and a maximum design speed exceeeding 25 km/h, with the exception of vehicles which run on rails and of agricultural tractors and machinery. Article 2 No Member State may refuse to grant EEC type- approval or national type-approval in respect of a vehicle, or refuse or prohibit the sale, registration, entry into service or use of a vehicle, on grounds relating to its fuel consumption if the consumption figures have been determined in accordance with ‘Annexes I and Il and are set out in a document given to the vehicle owner at the time of purchase in a manner and form decided on by each Member State. Article 3 Any amendments necessary for adapting the requirements of the Annexes to take account of technical progress shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 13 of Direc- tive 70/156/EEC.