. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/NLD/45
18 June 2002
(02-3388)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   THE NETHERLANDS
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   National Enquiry
Point – EC WTO TBT Enquiry Point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [     ], 2.10.1 [ X], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Devices that improve the
field of vision to reduce the so-called 'blind spot', such as certain mirror and camera/monitor
systems.
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Draft Decree
amending the Vehicle Rules in connection with the rendering compulsory of certain devices
that enhance the field of vision in company cars.
6. Description of content:   The Netherlands intends to prescribe the provisions referred to
under 6 as a permanent requirement for all company cars intended for the transport of goods
that have a maximum permitted mass of more than 3 500 kg (hereinafter: lorries).  Thisobligation will not apply to company cars registered in another Member State of the
European Communities. In addition, the Netherlands intends to permit certain wide-angled
mirrors in the framework of the inspection for initial admission to the public roads if thesereduce the 'blind spot'.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Over the past few years, the Netherlands has seen relatively many accidents as a result of
collisions with right-turning lorries which invo lved pedestrians and (motor)cyclists.  These
accidents can to a large extent be ascribed to the limited vision which the drivers of theselorries had in the area to the right of their vehicles (the so-called 'blind spot').  The effects of
these collisions are often very serious.  It is expected that by including the obligation to
apply the devices referred to under 4, the number of serious accidents as a result of theexistence of the 'blind spot' between lorries and vulnerable members of the public will be
drastically reduced.  The number of lorries that are equipped with these devices is still far
too low.  This is why the Netherlands wishes to make them compulsory as quickly aspossible.G/TBT/N/NLD/45
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8. Relevant documents:   Vehicle rules
9. Proposed date of adoption:  August 2002
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 September 2002
10. Final date for comments:   -
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:           