56. The representative of France, chairing the IWG on IWVTA, reported on the outcome of the meetings held in Paris prior to the WP.29 session. On behalf of the Chair of the IWVTA subgroup on the 1958 Agreement, the representative of EU presented the status on the review of the revised 1958 Agreement (WP.29-160-27). He outlined that the main part of the Agreement would remain unchanged and highlighted the new elements of the revision. He announced the intention of the informal group to finalize, at its forthcoming session in September 2013, the draft Revision 3 of the Agreement for consideration by WP.29 at the November 2013 session. WP.29 noted that it would be proposed that the current text of the Agreement on self-certification would remain unchanged. The representative of the Russian Federation expressed concerns on the new safeguard in view of the lack of objective criteria.

57. The World Forum noted that some remaining open issues have still to be resolved by the IWG on IWVTA: (i) level of ambition with respect to the “substantial and editorial” amendments to the Agreement and (ii) the legal status of the so-called placeholder specifying the administrative and procedural provisions applicable to all UN Regulations annexed to the 1958 Agreement.

58. WP.29 urged the IWVTA subgroup on the 1958 Agreement to resolve the open issues and agreed to have a detailed discussion on this subject at the November 2013 session. In this respect, the Chair invited all interested delegates from the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to participate in the subgroup’s forthcoming meeting in September 2013.

59. The representative of Japan, chairing the IWVTA subgroup on the development of UN Regulation No. 0, reported on the work progress made by the group. He highlighted that the subgroup had been discussing, among others, three very important issues; obligation of CPs applying the UN Regulation No. 0 to apply all the UN Regulations listed in UN Regulation No. 0, right of the CPs to issue IWVTA if such CPs are not applying all the UN Regulations listed in UN Regulation No. 0, and the treatment of optional requirements in UN Regulations listed in UN Regulation No. 0 within the scope of IWVTA. He sought the advice of WP.29 on the principles of mutual recognition of IWVTAs granted by Contracting Parties applying the future UN Regulation No. 0, even if they do not apply all the UN Regulations listed in the annex of UN Regulation No. 0. Finally, he announced the subgroup’s intention to resume, at the forthcoming meeting in September 2013, its deliberation with a view to solve all the three issues in its session so that the subgroup could finalize a first proposal on UN Regulation No. 0 for consideration by WP.29 at its November 2013 session, and encouraged all CPs and potential new CPs to contribute to and participate in the next subgroup meeting.

60. Following further observations, it was agreed that a full discussion would be arranged at the next session of the World Forum and delegates were requested to consider the issue with their administrations in preparation to provide their views on this important topic.

61. The World Forum acknowledged the progress made by the IWVTA and its subgroups. The secretariat was requested to further clarify with the above-mentioned principles of rights and obligations of CPs applying the future UN Regulation No. 0.