8. The expert from Japan informed GRSP that the request for authorization (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/56) had been endorsed by AC.3 at its March 2017 session and that AC.3 had invited all experts to contact the co-sponsors to participate in the activities of the IWG that would likely to start late 2017 with a completion expected by the end of 2020. The expert from EC underlined the importance of Phase 2 of the UN GTR to solve the lack of harmonization of material qualification of containers. He added that this legislative void would create bottlenecks to technical progress. The Chair of GRSP encouraged all Contracting Parties and technical experts to participate in the IWG and to share research data and testing on material compatibility as well as other technical items in phase 2 that would enable development of robust provisions.