154. The representative of the United States of America, Chair of the IWG on EVS, introduced the fifth Progress Report of its group (WP.29-171-33). He informed that the work of the IWG is deemed completed, apart from a few technical issues concerning heavy duty vehicles that still need to be agreed among the experts. He added that the unresolved text would remain in square brackets in the official document submitted to the May 2017 session of GRSP and that at that time an informal document from IWG would be further submitted to resolve it. Moreover, he explained that the important work on thermal propagation and initiation methods remains in progress (altogether other technical issues). Therefore, he added that discussion on these matters would be continued in the Phase 2, which is planned to start immediately after the adoption of Phase 1 EVS GTR by WP.29, hopefully at the November 2017 session of AC.3. Finally, he sought consent of AC.3 to extend the mandate of the IWG until December 2017.

155. AC.3 endorsed the extension of the mandate and requested the secretariat to distribute WP.29-171-33 with an official symbol.