World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations | Session 182 | 10-12 Nov 2020
Hybrid session
Agenda Item 2.1.
Report of the session of the Administrative Committee for the Coordination of Work (WP.29/AC.2)

17. The 134nd session of WP.29/AC.2 (09 and10 November 2020) was chaired by Mr. A. Erario (Italy) and was attended**, in accordance to 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), GRE (Finland) GRPE (Netherlands), GRSG (Italy), GRSP (represented by United States of America delegate), GRVA (Germany), the Vice-Chairs of GRE (Netherlands), GRPE (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), GRSG (Canada), GRSP (Republic of Korea), GRVA (China and Japan), the Chair of the Executive Committee (AC.3) of the 1998 Agreement (United States of America), the Co-Chair of the Administrative Committee (AC.1) of the 1958 Agreement (Russian Federation) and by the representatives of the European Union and the United States of America.

18. Prior to its scheduled meeting on 9 November 2020, AC.2 held two ad-hoc virtual informal meetings. The first, held on 15 October 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 23 October 2020, focused on the activities related to automated/autonomous vehicles.

19. AC.2 took note of the special procedures during 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 30 October 2020, and was informed about the results of the written voting procedures, which took place from November 3 to 6, 2020, for WP.29, AC.1 and AC.3 items envisaged for voting in accordance with the agenda of the 182nd session of the World Forum.

** remote participation

20. The representative of the Russian Federation, Chair of WP.29 and AC.2, Mr. Boris Kisulenko, informed AC.2 that he is stepping down from his roles in WP.29 and AC.2. He recommended Mr. Sergey Anikeev as Vice-Chair candidate for WP.29. AC.2 warmly welcomed Mr. Anikeev at AC.2 and supported Mr. Kisulenko’s recommendation. AC.2 sincerely thanked Mr. Kisulenko for his years of service and the exceptional leadership during the last decades.

21. AC.2 recommended WP.29 to consider updating the expiry date of mandates of WP.29 subsidiary Informal Working Groups (IWG) listed in Informal Document WP.29-182-01.

22. AC.2 took note of the communication from the UNECE Executive Secretary sent to Permanent Representatives of UNECE member States containing an update on the operational arrangements in place at the UNECE in response to combined impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, financial constrains triggered by the liquidity crisis facing the UN Organization, and the ongoing renovation work at the Palais des Nations (Strategic Heritage Plan (SHP)) on the conduct of business and mandate delivery. AC.2 considered the revised calendar of sessions for 2020 (WP.29-179-02/Rev.3), and the proposed calendar of sessions for 2021 (WP.29-182-02), taking note that the 2020 calendar had been impacted and that the 2021 calendar may need to be revised in light of circumstances described in the communication from the UNECE Executive Secretary. Following discussions, AC.2 decided to recommend to WP.29 that GRVA would hold one additional session on 14-16 December 2020 and one additional session in 2021, to take place in late May or early June. AC.2 recommended that WP.29 endorse a communication addressed to the UNECE Executive Secretary, requesting priority access to resources necessary for the conduct of business and mandate delivery of WP.29 during the ongoing crises.

23. AC.2 took note of the mapping of the implementation of the ITC Strategy by WP.29 and GRs, and recommended that WP.29 consider the mapping as an informal document at its 182nd session, and, if endorsed, to submit it to the ITC Bureau November 2020 session for consideration.

24. AC.2 recommended WP.29 to consider endorsing the proposal for the coordinated application of the definition of Rechargeable Electrical Energy Storage System (REESS).

25. AC.2 recommended issuing the proposal for amendments to the guidelines on transitional provisions as an informal document for the 182nd session of WP.29, and its consideration under agenda item 4.3 of the World Forum.

26. AC.2 discussed the draft revised Programme of Work (PoW) for 2020 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2020/1/Rev.2) that reflects both the relevant elements from the ITC Strategy as well the priorities of the work for the GRs.

27. AC.2 took note of the draft update of the UNECE Road Map on Intelligent Transport Systems (WP.29-182-12), and recommended that WP.29 consider endorsing the document, and submitting it to the ITC Bureau November 2020 session for consideration.

28. AC.2 reviewed and adopted the revised annotated provisional agenda for the 182nd session and reviewed the draft of the 183rd session of the World Forum, scheduled to be held in Geneva from 9 to 11 March 2021.

29. AC.2 approved the requests of NGO’s, European Association for Electromobility, AVERE, and the International Association of the Body and Trailer Building Industry, CLCCR, to take part in WP.29 sessions in accordance with Rule 1(d) of the Terms of Reference of the World Forum.

30. AC.2 was informed on a dispute between contracting parties related to one type approval for a device that was deemed to perform as a child restraint system. AC.2 noted that the discussion on the dispute would be resumed at the December 2020 session of GRSP, at which more data would be shared. AC.2 concluded that it should wait for the outcome of the discussion in GRSP.

31. AC.2 decided to hold an ad-hoc informal session during December 2020, in order to discuss matters related to patent applications for test procedures under development by an IWG.

32. AC.2 recommended that AC.4 not be convened.

33. The Chair of AC.2 reported on the conclusions of AC.2 regarding the continuation of GRVA activities concerning ALKS. AC.2 agreed that a group of interested experts reporting to GRVA could continue to work on the ALKS regulation development to address the scope extension to heavy vehicles, increased speeds and lane changes. AC.2 agreed that this work should not diverge from the outcome of the activities at the IWGs on FRAV and VMAD, and that if these two groups needed more time than the group of interested experts, then the outcome of these two IWGs would amend the ALKS regulation, as needed.

34. AC.2 did not complete the discussion on the revision of the Framework Document on Automated Vehicles and planned to finalise discussion in March 2021 on the GRVA priorities of work. It was noted that GRVA, at its December 2020 ad-hoc session, could provide input to guide this discussion.