10. The EC expert informed GRB on the work progress of the European Union (EU) institutions on the EC proposal on vehicle noise. He added that at this stage no political agreement on new limits had been reached at the EU level.

11. The expert from China introduced GRB-56-07, proposing a different scheme to identify vehicle categories. He also added that his proposal would offer an option to cover needs of a broader range of countries. The experts from Japan and OICA endorsed the Power to Mass Ratio index (PMR) as a tool to link noise emission and vehicle performance. The EC expert recalled that to overcome the different national political priorities/classifications, the discussion should be focused on the mutual recognition principle of the 1958 Agreement, i.e. the vehicle complying with the lowest noise level would be accepted everywhere. He recalled that this would not prevent Contracting Parties from having less stringent requirements in their national law for their internal markets. Finally GRB agreed to resume consideration of GRB-56-07 at its February 2013 session to provide study time for experts.

12. GRB considered GRB-56-01 and GRB-56-05 supplementing ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2012/7 tabled by the expert from Japan. He explained that the proposal was based on GRB-55-01, including limit values with some modification of the threshold of subcategories, as a basis for a common position with the proposal tabled by the expert from Germany (GRB-54-03). Moreover, he made a presentation (GRB-56-21) concerning rationales for the proposed Stage 3 of limit values. The EC expert stated that the review of vehicle classification should not only consider the proposals tabled by the experts from Germany and Japan, but also the present vehicle classification in UN Regulation No. 51 and in the EC proposal and verify the rationales for the changes proposed by the experts from Germany and Japan.

GRB recalled that the EC proposal was available at: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/automotive/documents/proposals/index_en.htm#h2-1

13. Upon the suggestion of the Chair, GRB agreed to verify data and provide a basis for analysis for a power reference value of 160 kW in vehicle category M3 and for the reference value of 140 kW in vehicle category N2. Finally, GRB agreed to resume consideration on this subject at its February 2013 session on the basis of the above test data, if available, and on those existing provided by the experts from China, Japan and EC.