Commission Directive 2005/27/EC of 29 March 2005 amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical progress, Directive 2003/97/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, concerning the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of devices for indirect vision and of vehicles equipped with these devicesText with EEA relevance
Commission Directive 2005/27/ECof 29 March 2005amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical progress, Directive 2003/97/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, concerning the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of devices for indirect vision and of vehicles equipped with these devices(Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,Having regard to 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 trailersOJ L 42, 23.2.1970, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2004/104/EC (OJ L 337, 13.11.2004, p. 13)., and in particular Article 13(2) thereof,Having regard to Directive 2003/97/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 November 2003 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of devices for indirect vision and of vehicles equipped with these devices, amending Directive 70/156/EEC and repealing Directive 71/127/EECOJ L 25, 29.1.2004, p. 1. and in particular Article 2 thereof,Whereas:(1)Directive 2003/97/EC is one of the separate Directives in the context of the Community type-approval procedure under Directive 70/156/EEC. The provisions of Directive 70/156/EEC relating to systems, components and separate technical units for vehicles therefore apply to Directive 2003/97/EC.(2)In order to reduce the blind spot of N2 vehicles of mass not exceeding 7,5 tonnes, it is necessary to modify certain requirements laid down in Directive 2003/97/EC.(3)Since 2003, technical progress with regard to rear view mirrors has advanced considerably. It is now possible to install wide-angle rear-view mirrors on some N2 vehicles of mass not exceeding 7,5 tonnes. It is therefore appropriate to amend Directive 2003/97/EC by extending the obligation to fit Class IV wide-angle mirrors to those vehicles of category N2 having a cabin similar to that of N3 vehicles. The appropriate criterion for distinguishing the two types of N2 vehicles should be whether a class V close-proximity mirror can be fitted.(4)Vehicles having seats with a fixed seat-back angle would not be able to fulfil the standard requirements. A correction factor for such vehicles should therefore be introduced.(5)It is also appropriate to amend the administrative provisions for type-approval by introducing the distinguishing numbers of the Member States which acceded to the Community on 1 May 2004.(6)The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Adaptation to Technical Progress set up under Article 13(1) of Directive 70/156/EEC,HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1Annexes I and III to Directive 2003/97/EC are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Directive.
Article 21.Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 19 October 2005 at the latest. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions and a correlation table between those provisions and this Directive.When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.2.Member States shall communicate to the Commission the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.
Article 3This Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Article 4This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 29 March 2005.For the CommissionGünter VerheugenVice-PresidentANNEXAnnexes I and III to Directive 2003/97/EC are amended as follows:1.In Annex I, item 1.1.1.12, after the first sentence, the following new sentence is inserted:"In the case of a seat with fixed seat-back angle, the location of the ocular points shall be adjusted in accordance with the provisions of Appendix 7 to this Annex."2.In Appendix 5 to Annex I, the following is added to the enumeration of distinguishing numbers in point 1.1:""8 for the Czech Republic,", "29 for Estonia,", "49 for Cyprus, 32 for Latvia, 36 for Lithuania,", "7 for Hungary, 50 for Malta,", "20 for Poland,", "26 for Slovenia, 27 for Slovakia"".3.In Annex I, the following Appendix 7 is added:

4.In the table in Annex III and in the cell for Class IV wide-angle mirrors for motor vehicles of category N2 ≤ 7,5 t, the text is replaced by the following:"CompulsoryFor both sides if a Class V mirror can be fittedOptionalFor both sides together if not";5.In the table in Annex III and in the cell for Class V close-proximity mirrors for motor vehicles of category N2 ≤ 7,5 t, the text is replaced by the following:"Compulsory, see Annex III items 3.7 and 5.5.5One on the passenger’s sideOptionalOne on the driver’s side(both must be fitted at least 2 m above the ground)A tolerance of + 10 cm may be applied".
"Appendix 7Determination of the ocular points for a seat with a fixed seat-back angle1.The position of the ocular points in relation to the R point shall be adjusted as indicated in the table below by X coordinates from the three-dimensional reference grid. The table indicates the basic coordinates for a fixed seat-back angle of 25 degrees. The three-dimensional reference grid for the coordinates is as defined in point 2.3 of Annex I to Directive 77/649/EEC as amended.
Seat back angleHorizontal coordinates
(in degrees)ΔX
2568 mm
2.Further correction for fixed seat-back angles other than 25The table below indicates the further corrections, from the ocular position with a fixed seat-back angle of 25 degrees, to be made to the X and Z coordinates of the ocular points when the design seat-back angle is not 25 degrees.
Seat-back angleHorizontal coordinatesVertical coordinates
(in degrees)ΔXΔZ
5186 mm28 mm
6177 mm27 mm
7167 mm27 mm
8157 mm27 mm
9147 mm26 mm
10137 mm25 mm
11128 mm24 mm
12118 mm23 mm
13109 mm22 mm
1499 mm21 mm
1590 mm20 mm
1681 mm18 mm
1772 mm17 mm
1862 mm15 mm
1953 mm13 mm
2044 mm11 mm
2135 mm9 mm
2226 mm7 mm
2318 mm5 mm
249 mm3 mm
250 mm0 mm
269 mm3 mm
2717 mm5 mm
2826 mm8 mm
2934 mm11 mm
3043 mm14 mm
3151 mm18 mm
3259 mm21 mm
3367 mm24 mm
3476 mm28 mm
3584 mm32 mm
3692 mm35 mm
37100 mm39 mm
38108 mm43 mm
39115 mm48 mm
40123 mm52 mm"