6. The 133rd online (all delegates participating remotely) session of WP.29/AC.2 (22 June 2020) was chaired by Mr. A. Erario (Italy) and was attended, in accordance with Rule 29 of the terms of reference and rules of procedure of WP.29 (TRANS/WP.29/690/Rev.1), by the Chairs of GRBP (France), GRPE (Netherlands), GRSG (Italy), GRSP (represented by United States of America delegate), the Vice-Chairs of GRE (Netherlands), GRPE (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), GRSP (Republic of Korea), GRVA (China), GRVA (Japan), the Chair of the Executive Committee (AC.3) of the 1998 Agreement (United States of America), and by the representatives of the European Union.

7. Prior to its scheduled meeting on 22 June 2020, AC.2 held two ad-hoc virtual informal meetings. The first, held on 30 April 2020, related to the special procedures during COVID-19 period in order to enable business continuity for WP.29 and its subsidiary bodies. The second, held on 28 May 2020, focused on the activities related to automated/autonomous vehicles.

8. AC.2 took note of the special procedures during the COVID-19 period, which had been adopted by all members of the World Forum and all Contracting Parties to the 1958, 1997 and 1998 Agreements under a silence procedure on 12 June 2020, and was informed about the results of the written voting procedures, which took place from June 16 to 19, 2020, for WP.29, AC.1 and AC.3 items envisaged for voting in accordance with the agenda of the 181st session of the World Forum.

9. AC.2 considered the revised calendar of sessions for 2020, and the calendar of sessions for 2021. Due to the COVID-19 circumstances, the sixty-seventh session of GRSP, scheduled for July 20-24, 2020, would be held in a virtual format. The chair of GRSG requested the secretariat to inform GRSG delegates as soon as possible about the format under which the 118th session of GRSG, scheduled for July 15-17, 2020, would be held (hybrid or fully virtual). Representatives of Contracting parties requested the rescheduling of meetings in the draft calendar for 2021 that coincide with national holidays in their countries.

10. AC.2 agreed to hold further in-depth discussions on the priorities for work of GRs at its November session, which would build a basis for the 2021 Programme of Work.

11. AC.2 discussed the draft revised Programme of Work (PoW) for 2020 that reflects both the relevant elements from the ITC Strategy as well the priorities of the work for the GRs.

12. AC.2 reviewed the progress made on the activities listed in the Framework document on autonomous/automated vehicles and discussed aspects of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence technologies impact on the work of WP.29. AC.2 agreed to continue discussions on these matters at its November 2020 session.

13. AC.2 recommended WP.29 to endorse the proposed amendment to Annex 4 of UN Regulation No. 0, scheduled for adoption by AC.1 its seventy-sixth session, in November 2020.

14. AC.2 was briefed on the engagement and role of the UNECE WP.29 secretariat in the upcoming “Safer and cleaner used vehicles for Africa” project, funded through the UN Road Safety Trust Fund mechanism.

15. AC.2 discussed precedents related to patented systems, the performance of which is regulated through WP.29 legal instruments. AC.2 agreed to resume deliberations on this issue at its November 2020 session.

16. AC.2 reviewed and adopted the provisional streamlined agenda for the 181st session and reviewed the draft of the 182nd session of the World Forum, scheduled to be held in Geneva from 10 to 12 November 2020.

17. AC.2 recommended AC.4 not to convene.