WP.29/2017/104
Draft UN Regulation No. 0 on uniform provisions concerning International Whole Vehicle Type Approval

Proposal submitted by the informal working group on the International Whole Vehicle Type Approval for the establishment of UN Regulation No. 0 regarding the approval of whole vehicles within the framework of the 1958 Agreement. The regulations would establish an International Whole Vehicle Type Approval (IWVTA) scheme whereby Contracting Parties adhering to the Regulation may issue approvals to either a limited level (L-IWVTA) or to a wider range of technical topics included in the universal level (U-IWVTA). Contracting Parties are able to apply the limited or universal IWVTA depending upon the national situation.

The Universal-IWVTA (U-IWVTA) provides a greater level of certainty for vehicle manufacturers and Contracting Parties applying this UN Regulation, as the approval has to be accepted without further assessment of the technical items covered by the U-IWVTA issued. Contracting Parties applying this UN Regulation are not obliged to accept approvals to the limited level (L-IWVTA) but may do so at their choice. However, they have also to accept approvals issued pursuant to U-IWVTA.

The UN Regulation includes the administrative obligations of the IWVTA scheme. It does not establish separate technical requirements but instead refers to the provisions of the separate UN Regulations.

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Excerpts from session reports
GRE | Session 78 | 24-27 Oct 2017

34. GRE noted that Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2016/2) had entered into force on 14 September 2017 and that a special webpage had been created by the secretariat with the text of the revised Agreement and frequently asked questions (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/131). GRE was informed that the IWG on the International Whole Vehicle Type Approval (IWVTA) had submitted the final draft of UN Regulation No. 0 and explanations on IWVTA for consideration and approval at the November 2017 sessions of WP.29 and AC.1 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/108 and ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/109). GRE also took note that, following the adoption in June 2017 of amendments to Regulation No. 48, IWG IWVTA would consider the need to keep in Annex 4 to UN Regulation No. 0 references to the individual Regulations on lighting and light-signalling devices.

GRE | Session 74 | 20-23 Oct 2015

39. The expert from EC, in his capacity of GRE Ambassador, informed GRE about the progress in preparing Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement and developing Regulation No. 0 on IWVTA. The latest draft of Regulation No. 0 had been presented to the June 2015 session of WP.29 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2015/68). GRE recalled its discussion on DRL (para. 16 above) and hoped that a solution would soon be found for the purposes of listing Regulation No. 48 in an annex to Regulation No. 0 on IWVTA.

GRE | Session 73 | 13-17 Apr 2015

42. The expert from EC, in his capacity of GRE Ambassador, and the secretariat informed GRE about the progress in preparing Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement and developing Regulation No. 0 on IWVTA and DETA database. The latest draft of Regulation No. 0 was available in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2015/68. GRE also noted that IWG IWVTA had proposed to move the installation requirements for DRL from Regulation No. 48 into Regulation No. 87 and that WP.29, at its November 2014 session, urged GRE to find the best solution in close cooperation with the stakeholders. In this respect, GRE discussed whether a new IWG was needed to tackle this issue. Having recalled its earlier considerations (see paras. 15 and 16 above), GRE decided against a new IWG for the time being.

GRSG | Session 114 | 9-13 Apr 2018

49. GRSG noted the adoption by WP.29/AC.1 of UN Regulation No. 0 on IWVTA (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/108) and its expected date of entry into force on 19 July 2018. GRSG also noted the adoption by WP.29 of (i) the explanation document on UN Regulation No. 0 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/109), (ii) the general guidelines for UN regulatory procedures and transitional provisions in UN Regulations (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/107, Add.1 and Corr.1 as amended by para. 53 of the report ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1135) and (iii) the “Question&Answer” document on Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/131).

WP.29 | Session 166 | 23-26 Jun 2015

52. The representative of Japan, Co-Chair of the IWG on IWVTA, reported on the progress at the eighteenth meeting of the group. He reported that IWG had introduced two definitions for type: vehicle type, which could contain all variants regardless of their level of conformity, and which corresponded to what we are used to; and IWVTA type, which defined one level of conformity within a vehicle type. He presented informal document WP.29-166-15 on the changes required to the draft UN Regulation No. 0. He clarified that these changes would be included in the text during the September session of the group and would further be included as Revision 1 to document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2015/68. He notified WP.29 that UN Regulation No. 0 would be pre-tested and that the contact point for pre-testing had been indicated in the informal document for anyone interested. The representative of the Russian Federation highlighted mutual proposal with the European Commission on the applicability of national and regional requirements in addition to IWVTA if there are no such requirements in the existing UN Regulations

WP.29 | Session 173 | 14-17 Nov 2017

55. The representative of Japan, Chair of the IWG on IWVTA, introduced the draft UN Regulation No. 0 on uniform provisions concerning the International Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/108). He reported on the latest amendments to Annex 4 listing the UN Regulations covered by IWVTA (WP.29-173-18). He highlighted that other UN Regulations were in the process of being reviewed by the relevant Working Parties and that would be included in near future. Thus, he presented the draft Terms of References and Rules of Procedure for Phase 2 of the IWG on IWVTA (WP.29-173-17).

56. WP.29 welcomed the submission of draft UN Regulation No. 0 and acknowledged the work progress made by the IWG. The World Forum considered ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/108 and recommended its submission to AC.1 for voting.

74. The representative of the Republic of Korea announced his intention to abstain from voting at AC.1 on document ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/108 (new UN Regulation on IWVTA).

GRSG | Session 113 | 10-13 Oct 2017

55. GRSG noted that Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement entered into force on 14 September 2017. GRSG welcomed the Question & Answer document on Revision 3 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/131) as well as the draft UN Regulation on IWVTA (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/108) and the explanation (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/109). GRSG noted that these documents were expected to be considered and adopted by WP.29 at its session in November 2017.

WP.29 | Session 172 | 20-23 Jun 2017

56. The representative of Japan, on behalf of the Chair of the IWG on IWVTA introduced the Draft UN Regulation No. 0 on uniform provisions concerning International Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2017/104) and the latest amendments to its Annex 4 listing UN Regulations covered by the IWVTA (WP.29-172-12). He highlighted other UN Regulations to be reviewed by the relevant GR before they may be included in the annex, namely UN Regulations Nos. 14, 34, 116, 129 and the future UN Regulation on implementing the Worldwide Light-Duty Test Procedures (WLTP). WP.29 agreed to keep the document on the agenda for its November 2017 session for consideration and adoption.

57. He further introduced a tentative draft of the Rules of Procedures and the Terms of Reference (WP.29-172-14) for the future work of the IWG on IWVTA Phase 2. WP.29 asked to keep the document on the agenda for its November 2017 session for consideration and adoption.

GRRF | Session 84 | 19-22 Sep 2017

56. The Ambassador of GRRF at the IWG on IWVTA meetings gave an oral report about the IWVTA activities. He informed that the subgroup on Regulation No. 0 would be dissolved, that discussions took place on the future nature of the subgroup on IWVTA and that the draft Regulation No. 0 would be submitted in the near future. He announced that the need for an ambassador might be reduced given the progress made on IWVTA.

WP.29 | Session 171 | 14-17 Mar 2017

60. The representative of Japan, on behalf of the Chair of the IWG on IWVTA, presented WP.29-171-12, on the progress made by the group at the recent meetings on the development of draft UN Regulation No. 0 on IWVTA and seeking guidance from WP.29 the language for application for approval and accompanying documentation. Referring to WP.29-171-11, he reiterated the intention of the IWG to submit a final proposal of the draft UN Regulation for consideration at the November 2017 session of WP.29. The secretariat was requested to circulate WP.29-171-11 with an official symbol at the next session of WP.29.

61. The representative of Japan, on behalf of the Chair of the IWG on IWVTA requested guidance from WP.29 on the matter of streamlining the administrative procedures of type approval processes with the use of the English language as a common language, as proposed in paragraph 3.3 of the draft proposal for UN Regulation No. 0 (informal document WP.29-171-11). The representatives of France and the Russian Federation expressed their concerns about the expansion of this norm for other UN Regulations, which now use three languages as equals and requested additional time to reflect on this issue.