All new tourist coaches and minibuses throughout the EU must have seat-belts installed from late this year and all passengers must use them, under new directives approved by the European Parliament last night.
The requirement to install seat belts will initially apply to new vehicle types and will then be extended to all newly manufactured coaches and minibuses but not to city buses.
Passengers will be obliged to use seat-belts while travelling in any vehicle in which they are provided.
Enterprise and Industry Commissioner Guenther Verheugen welcomed the MEPs' decision as an important measure to reduce deaths on the road.
"The adoption of these directives is enormously important in the commission's fight to reduce the number of road accident victims. This decisions will provide for a uniform legal framework for the European manufacturers, by doing away with diverging national laws," he said.
All cars placed on the European market since January 1st, 1998 have had to have seat-belts fitted in all seats. Last night's decision closes the last remaining gap, making the fitting of safety belts in utility vehicles obligatory. From 2006, the use and fitting of safety belts will be mandatory in all commercial vehicles, including coaches.
The measures adopted last night also include the requirement that seats undergo resistance and energy-dissipation testing to ensure maximum protection for passengers in accidents.