12.7.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L1731 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) DIRECTIVE 2000/25/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 22 May 2000 on action to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants by engines intended to power agricultural or forestry tractors and amending Council Directive 74/150/EEC THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular Article 95 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (3), Whereas: (1) To ensure the proper functioning of the internal market, Council Directive 74/150/EEC of 4 March 1974 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors (%) and the 22 specific Directives adopted between 1974 and 1989 harmonised the technical specifications in this field. (2) In order to further safeguard the environment, it is necessary to supplement the measures already adopted by Council Directive 77/537EEC of 28 June 1977 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the measures to be taken against the emission of pollutants from diesel engines for use in wheeled agricul- tural or forestry tractors (°) (opacity of exhaust gases) with other measures relating, in particular, to physicochemical emissions. By referring to the provisions of Directive 97/68/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1997 on the approximation of the laws (1) O] C303,2.10.1998, p. 9. (3 0JC101,12.4.1999, p. 13. (%) Opinion of the European Parliament of 5 May 1999 (O] C 279, 1.10.1999, p. 209), Council Common Position of 22 November 1999 (OJ € 17, 20.1.2000, p. 13) and Decision of the European Parliament of 12 April 2000 (not yet published in to Official Journal). (¥) OJ L 84,28.3.1974, p. 10. Directive as last amended by Directive 97/54/EC (OJ L 277,10.10.1997, p. 24). (°) OJL220,29.8.1977, p. 38. Directive as last amended by Directive 97/54JEC. of the Member States relating to measures against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from internal combustion engines to be installed in non-road mobile machinery (°), this Directive lays down the limit values for emissions of gaseous and particulate pollutants to be applied in successive stages, and the test procedure for internal combustion engines intended to power agricultural or forestry tractors. Compliance with the provisions of Council Directive 88/77/EEC of 3 Decem- ber 1987 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous pollutants from diesel engines for use in vehicles(’), can also be accepted as compliance with the requirements of this Directive. (3) In order to facilitate access to third-country markets, it is necessary to establish equivalence between the require- ments of this Directive for the first stage and the requirements laid down in United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) Regulation No 96 concerning the component type-approval of compression ignition engines intended to be fitted to agricultural or forestry tractors in terms of their pollutant emissions. (4) In order to maximise the benefits for the European environment and, at the same time, to ensure the unity of the market, it is necessary to adopt very strict mandatory standards at regular intervals. Any further reduction in the limit values and any changes to the test procedure can be adopted only on the basis of studies and research to be conducted into existing and foreseeable technological potential and into the cost effectiveness thereof, in order to allow production on an industrial scale of agricultural or forestry tractors that are capable of meeting these more stringent limits. (® OJL59,27.2.1998, p. 1. () OJ L 36, 9.2.1988, p. 33. Directive as last amended by Directive 96/1/EC (O] L 40, 17.2.1996, p. 1).