Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 71 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee^f1,

After consulting the Committee of the Regions,

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty^f2,

Whereas:

Council Directive 84/647/EEC of 19 December 1984 on the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road^f3 has been substantially amended^f4. In the interests of clarity and rationality the said Directive should be codified.

From a macroeconomic point of view, the use of hired vehicles permits, in certain situations, an optimum allocation of resources by limiting the wasteful use of factors of production.

From a microeconomic point of view, this possibility brings an element of flexibility to the organisation of transport, and thus increases the productivity of the undertakings concerned.

This Directive should be without prejudice to the obligations of the Member States concerning the time-limits for transposition into national law of the Directives set out in Annex I, Part B,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: