Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 114, in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

By Council Decision 97/836/EC^f1, 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 (the ‘Revised 1958 Agreement’). The Revised 1958 Agreement entered into force on 24 March 1998.

By Council Decision 2000/125/EC^f2, 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 (the ‘Parallel Agreement’). The Parallel Agreement entered into force on 15 February 2000.

Pursuant to Article 1 of the Revised 1958 Agreement and Article 6 of the Parallel Agreement, the UNECE World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) may adopt, as applicable, the proposals for modifications to UN Regulations adopted under the Revised 1958 Agreement (‘UN Regulations’) Nos 10, 26, 28, 46, 48, 51, 55, 58, 59, 62, 79, 90, 106, 107, 110, 117, 121, 122, 128, 144, 148, 149, 150, 151 and 152, the proposals for modifications to Global Technical Regulations (GTR) Nos 3, 6 and 16, the proposal for amendments to Consolidated Resolution R.E.5, and the proposals for authorisations to develop an amendment to GTR No 6 and to develop a new GTR on the Determination of Electrified Vehicle Power (DEVP).

WP.29, during the 180th session of the World Forum to be held between 10 and 12 March 2020, is to adopt the above acts in relation to the administrative provisions and uniform technical prescriptions for the approval of harmonised technical UN Regulations and GTRs for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts, which can be fitted and/or be used on wheeled vehicles.

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in WP.29 as regards the adoption of proposals for UN Regulations, as the UN Regulations will be binding on the Union and capable of decisively influencing the content of Union law in the field of vehicle type approval.

Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council^f3 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 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.

In the light of experience and technical developments, the requirements relating to certain elements or features covered by UN Regulations Nos 10, 26, 28, 46, 48, 51, 55, 58, 59, 62, 79, 90, 106, 107, 110, 117, 121, 122, 128, 144, 148, 149, 150, 151 and 152 need to be amended or supplemented. In addition, certain provisions in GTR Nos 3, 6 and 16 need to be modified. Finally, the amendments to Consolidated Resolution R.E.5 and the authorisations to develop an amendment to GTR No 6 and to develop a new GTR on the DEVP need to be adopted.

WP.29 working document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2020/25 concerns a proposal for Supplement 2 to UN Regulation No 144 (Accident Emergency Call Systems), which is not ready for a vote in WP.29.

WP.29 working document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2020/2 concerns a proposal for Supplement 1 to the 08 series of amendments to UN Regulation No 9 (Noise of Three-wheeled Vehicles). Given that the Union is not applying the uniform provisions of UN Regulation No 9, it is not necessary to establish a position of the Union on proposal ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2020/2,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: