27.9.76 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 262/85 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 27 July 1976 - on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the rear registration plate lamps for motor vehicles and their trailers (76/760/EEC) "THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro- pean Economic Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2), Whereas the technical requirements which motor vehicles must satisfy pursuant to national laws relate inter alia to their rear registration plate lamps; Whereas those requirements differ from one Member State to another; whereas it is therefore necessary that all Member States adopt 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 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 (3), to be introduced in respect of each type of vehicle; Whereas in Directive 76/756/CEE (%), the Council laid down the common requirements for the installa- tion of lighting and light-signalling devices on motor vehicles and their trailers; Whereas a harmonized type-approval procedure for rear registration plate lamps makes it possible for each Member State to check compliance with the common construction and testing requirements and to inform the other Member States of its findings by sending a copy of the component type-approval certi- ficate completed for each type of rear registration () OJ No C76,7. 4. 1975, p. 37. (%) O] No C 248, 29. 10. 1975, p. 23. (%) OJ No L 42, 23. 2. 1970, p. 1. (%) See page 1 of this Official Journal. plate lamp; whereas the placing of an EEC com- ponent type-approval mark on all rear registration plate lamps manufactured in conformity with the approved type obviates any need for technical checks on these rear registration plate lamps in the other Member States; ' Whereas it is desirable to take into account the technical requirements adopted by the UN Ecconomic Commission for Europe in its Regulation No 4 (‘Uniform provisions for the approval of devices for the illumination of rear registration plates of motor vehicles (except motor cycles) and their trailers’) (5), which is annexed to the Agreement of 20 March 1958 concerning the adoption of uniform conditions for approval and reciprocal recognition of approval for motor vehicle equipment and parts; Whereas the approximation of national laws relating to motor vehicles entails reciprocal recognition by Member States of the checks carried out by each of them on the basis on the common requirements, HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: Article 1 1. Member States shall grant EEC component type- approval for any type of rear registration plate lamp which satisfies the construction and testing require- ments laid down in Annexes 0, I, III and IV. 2. The Member State which has granted EEC com- ponent type-approval shall take the measures re- quired in order to verify that production models conform to the approved type, in so far as this is necessary and if need be in cooperation with the competent authorities in the other Member States. Such verification shall be limited to spot checks. (5) Economic Commission for Europe, Document E/ECE/ 324, Addendum 3, Amendment 1 of 29 October 1975.