36. The expert from France introduced GRSP-61-17-Rev.2, superseding ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2017/17 aimed at introducing the third phase of the UN Regulation which is meant to introduce “Universal belted” and “Specific vehicle belted” category of CRS. He further explained that the basic principle of Phase 3 was to reach a compromise from misuse and bad installation and having as much as possible seat places to install CRS where ISOFIX anchorages cannot be allocated. Moreover, GRSP noted the request of guidance to Contracting Parties proposed in GRSP-61-28 concerning: (i) which kind of combinations of ECRS should be allowed (e.g. ISOFIX and Universal Belted) (ii) under which conditions and (iii) guiding principles. The expert from the Netherlands raised concerns on “inserts” used on CRS to adapt them to the size of the occupant. He stated that inserts should be identified (labelled with identification and with size information) and that requirements should be devised to prevent camouflage of bad CRS. The expert from the United Kingdom supported the principle of a performance-based approach and requested more data on misuse. However, he shared the concern of the expert from the Netherlands. The expert from IC stated that ISOFIX had the priority to avoid misuse while other solutions and combinations with ISOFIX were just secondary and should be limited. The experts from Germany and Sweden raised a study reservation and stated that “plug-and-play” solution was the key principle for having a simple and efficient system; while now the ECRS IWG was opening to combinations that could have misuse implications.

35. The expert from France, Chair of the IWG on Enhanced Child Restraint Systems (ECRS), introduced a presentation (GRSP-60-18) on the work progress of the IWG. He also introduced ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2016/19, that aligns the provisions on toxicity and flammability of materials used to manufacture CRS and that updates the test provisions of the 02 series of amendments to the Regulation. GRSP adopted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2016/19 not amended, and requested the secretariat to submit it as draft Supplement 1 to the 02 series of amendments to Regulation No. 129, for consideration and vote at the June 2017 sessions of WP.29 and AC.1.

36. The expert from France also furthermore introduced two parallel amendments to the 01 and 02 series of amendments to the Regulation that provide editorial corrections to the text (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2016/22 and ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2016/23). GRSP adopted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2016/22, as amended by Annex V to this report (GRSP-60-09-Rev.2) and ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2016/23, as amended by Annex V to the report (GRSP-60-08-Rev.1). The secretariat was requested to submit: (a) ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2016/22, as Supplement 2 to the 01 series of amendments and (b) ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2016/23, as part of (see para. 35) draft Supplement 1 to the 02 series of amendments to Regulation No. 129, for consideration and vote at the June 2017 sessions of WP.29 and AC.1. Referring to the discussion held under agenda item 14 (see para. 30 above), GRSP requested the secretariat to distribute GRSP-60-02 with an official symbol at its May 2017 session, and specifically for the text dedicated to Regulation No. 129. Finally, GRSP agreed to seek the endorsement of WP.29 at its March 2017 sessions to extend the mandate of the IWG until December 2017.

76. The representative of Consumers International (CI) welcomed the adoption of the 02 series of amendments of UN Regulation No. 129, which can be seen as a next milestone in the development of this Regulation. He highlighted that by extending the i-Size concept to children up to 135cm, several consumer issues will be addressed and that also bigger children now will benefit from higher levels of protection. He hoped that the corresponding amendment of UN Regulation No. 16 will be implemented in the short term, allowing it to be operational simultaneously with phase 2 of Regulation No. 129. Finally, he offered the support of CI in the further development of the regulation.