Considerations on COM(2017)602 - EU position in the relevant Committees of the UNECE as regards to a string of proposals for amendments to UN (technical) Regulations

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(1) By Council Decision 97/836/EC 1 , the Union acceded to the Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted to and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of those prescriptions (‘Revised 1958 Agreement’).

(2) By Council Decision 2000/125/EC 2 , the Union acceded to the Agreement concerning the establishing of global technical regulations for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or be used on wheeled vehicles (‘Parallel Agreement’).

(3) Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 3  replaced the approval systems of the Member States with a Union approval procedure and established a harmonised framework containing administrative provisions and general technical requirements for all new vehicles, systems, components and separate technical units. That Directive incorporated regulations adopted under the Revised 1958 Agreement ('UN Regulations') in the EU type-approval system, either as requirements for type-approval or as alternatives to Union legislation. Since the adoption of Directive 2007/46/EC, UN regulations have been increasingly incorporated into Union legislation.

(4) In the light of experience and technical developments, the requirements relating to certain elements or features covered by UN Regulations Nos 12, 14, 16, 17, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 110, 121, 129 and 134, as well as by UN Global Technical Regulations Nos 6 and 15, need to be adapted.

(5) In order to lay down uniform provisions concerning the International Whole Vehicle Type Approval, Accident Emergency Call Systems and anchorage systems of child seats, the proposal for new UN Regulations on those subjects need to be adopted.

(6) In order to lay down uniform provisions concerning the safety of electric vehicles, the proposal for a UN Global Technical Regulation (GTR) needs to be adopted.

(7) In order to lay down the provisions and a harmonized test procedure for the measurement of interior emissions of vehicles, thereby taking into account existing standards, the proposal for a new Mutual Resolution (M.R.3) on vehicle interior air quality (VIAQ) under the Revised 1958 Agreement and the Parallel Agreement needs to be adopted.

(8) In order to clarify the regulatory procedures following Revision 3 of the Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for the reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions 4 , to streamline the future work in the subsidiary bodies of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29), to avoid divergences in understanding and to ensure good regulatory practice, the General Guidelines for UN regulatory procedures and transitional provisions in UN Regulations need to be replaced.

(9) In order to enable non-governmental organizations without consultative status within the United Nations Economic and Social Council to participate in WP.29 meetings in a consultative capacity, the Rules of Procedure of WP.29 need to be revised.

(10) It is appropriate to establish the position to be adopted on behalf of the Union in the Administrative Committee of the Revised 1958 Agreement and in the Executive Committee of the Parallel Agreement as regards the adoption of those proposals.