9.5.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 115/63 DIRECTIVE 2003/20/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 8 April 2003 amending Council Directive 91/671/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to compulsory use of safety belts in vehicles of less than 3,5 tonnes THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 71(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (), Whereas: (1)  Article 153 of the Treaty requires in particular that, in order to ensure a high level of consumer protection, the Community shall contribute to protecting the health, safety and economic interests of consumers. 2)  In its Resolution of 13 March 1984 (*), the European Parliament made the compulsory use of safety belts on all roads, whether rural or urban, a priority measure. In its Resolution of 18 February 1986 (), it stressed the need to make the wearing of safety belts compulsory for all passengers, including children, except in public service vehicles. (3)  Directive 91/671[EEC () provides for the compulsory use of child restraints on seats fitted with safety belts. That Directive does not specify the type of child-restraint system that would be appropriate and allows for the carriage of children without being restrained by an appropriate child restraint where such a restraint is unavailable. (4)  Greater stringency in the use of such systems is neces- sary, thus moving closer to the principle of compulsory use referred to in the second paragraph of Article 2 of the Directive. () 0] C 96 E, 27.3.2001, p. 330. () O] € 260, 17.9.2001, p. 30. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 31 May 2001 (O] C 47 E, 21.2.2002, p. 156), Council Common Position of 14 November 2002 (O] C 299 E, 3.12.2002, p. 38) and Decision of the European Parliament of 11 March 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () O] C 104, 16.4.1984, p. 38. () O] C 68, 24.3.1986, p. 35. () OJL 373, 31.12.1991, p. 26. (5) By Council Decision 97/836/EC (), the Community acceded to the Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the adop- tion of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehi- cles, equipment and parts which can be fitted to and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reci- procal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions. (6) By its accession to that Agreement, the Community acceded to a defined list of regulations established pursuant to that Agreement, including that concerning the approval of restraining devices for child occupants of power-driven vehicles (child restraints). (7)  Although the number of children fatally injured in car crashes is relatively small compared with child pedes- trian or child cyclist fatalities, common child protection rules need to be reinforced. In particular, research has shown that the use of child restraints can make a substantial contribution to reducing the severity of injury in the event of a crash and that the risk of a more severe crash injury is higher for unrestrained children than for restrained children. (8)  Member States should nevertheless, with the Commis- sion's agreement, be able to authorise certain exemptions for transport in their territory in the case of very specific situations; Member States should also take the necessary steps in order to avoid abuse. (9)  Since it is increasingly common for M2 and M3 vehicles to be fitted with safety belts in accordance with Commis- sion Directives 96/36/EC (), 96/37/EC () and 96/38/ EC ("), it is reasonable that seated passengers should be required to use them. Passengers in such vehicles should be informed of the requirement to wear their safety belts when the vehicle is in motion. () OJ L 346, 17.12.1997, p. 78. () Commission Directive 96/36/EC of 17 June 1996 adapting to tech- nical progress Council Directive 77/541/EEC relating to safety belts and restraint systems of motor vehicles (O] L 178, 17.7.1996, p. 15). (’) Commission Directive 96/37[EC of 17 June 1996 adapting to tech- nical progress Council Directive 74/408/EEC relating to the interior fittings of motor vehicles (strength of seats and of their anchorages) (O] L 186, 25.7.1996, p. 28). (**) Commission Directive 96/38/EC of 17 June 1996 adapting to tech- nical progress Council Directive 76/115/EEC relating to anchorages for motor vehicle safety belts (O] L 187, 26.7.1996, p. 95).