7. On behalf of the Informal Working Group ‘Simplification of the Lighting and Light-Signalling Regulations’ (IWG SLR), the expert from GTB reported on the progress and schedule of IWG SLR (GRE-77-32). GRE noted that the three new draft Regulations on Light-Signalling Devices (LSD), Road Illumination Devices (RID) and Retro-Reflective Devices (RRD) would be officially submitted to the next session of GRE. The expert of EC urged GRE experts to study these comprehensive documents and to provide their comments and contributions to IWG SLR without delay, so as to have a smooth adoption of the draft Regulations at the next session.

8. GRE took note of a first draft LSD Regulation prepared by IWG SLR (GRE-77-05). GRE commended IWG SLR on the quality of this document and delivered some preliminary remarks on its content. In particular, GRE requested additional explanations on how the amendment process, including new series of amendments and approval markings, would work for the new LSD Regulation which covers many different devices.

9. GTB invited GRE to provide guidance on how to treat the GTB proposals submitted to the previous session of GRE and deferred to the present session for final decision, in the context of drafting the three new Regulations (GRE-77-07). These proposals included the introduction of light emitting diode (LED) substitute light sources in the LSD Regulation (see para. 13 below), introduction of LED light sources in the RID Regulation (para. 15 below) and simplification of the conformity of production (CoP) requirements for adaptive front-lighting systems (AFS) (para. 28 below). GRE agreed to introduce the proposals, if adopted, into the drafts of the new RID and LSD Regulations so that the whole package would be formally submitted to the next session of GRE.

10. The expert from GTB briefly presented his views on Stage 2 of the SLR process and pointed out that it would provide a unique opportunity for China to harmonize their ongoing national simplification process with the SLR requirements.