13. On behalf of IWG ASEP, the expert from France presented its status report to GRB (GRB-66-14). In particular, IWG ASEP had agreed to propose some improvements in the current Annex 7 as soon as possible, as laid down in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2017/5, and then to develop a more general and strategic approach of revising Annex 7. The expert from the Russian Federation commented on ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2017/5 (GRB-66-06). GRB agreed to merge these proposals with the other proposed amendments to the 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51 (see para. 9 above).

13. On behalf of IWG ASEP, the expert from France presented its status report to GRB (GRB-66-14). In particular, IWG ASEP had agreed to propose some improvements in the current Annex 7 as soon as possible, as laid down in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2017/5, and then to develop a more general and strategic approach of revising Annex 7. The expert from the Russian Federation commented on ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2017/5 (GRB-66-06). GRB agreed to merge these proposals with the other proposed amendments to the 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51 (see para. 9 above).

8. On behalf of a group of experts, the expert from OICA proposed a number of amendments updating and revising the 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2017/6). These proposals received comments from the experts of China, Russian Federation and Switzerland (GRB-66-11, GRB-66-13 and GRB-66-19). The expert from OICA also proposed some further modifications (GRB-66-20).

9. The expert from Italy expressed concerns about the suggested extension of the sound pressure level measurement to line BB’ plus 20 m, with the aim to properly assess the possible “backfire”. According to him, this modification would be a new requirement which should be introduced by means of a new series of amendments with transitional provisions, rather than by a supplement, as proposed in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2017/6. He also pointed out that the above modification would need to be accompanied with a similar change in the relevant ISO standard. The experts from Germany, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland supported this amendment proposal in the form of a supplement. The expert of the Russian Federation supported the proposal as a supplement and agreed that Regulation No. 51 and the ISO standard should be aligned. The experts from France and EC were of the view that a new series of amendments would be more appropriate.

9. GRB recalled the amendment proposals to Regulation No. 51 adopted at the previous session (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2018/7) and addressed the pending issue on whether or not the adopted proposals would require a new series of amendments and/or transitional provisions. The experts from the Informal Working Group on Additional Sound Emission Provisions (IWG ASEP) and from OICA presented their views (GRB-67-14 and GRB-67-06). GRB agreed that the adopted proposals should become a new Supplement 3 to the 03 series of amendments to Regulation No. 51 and be accompanied with the following transitional provision (a new paragraph 11.9.):

“11.9.

Until 18 months after the date of entry into force of the Supplement 3, it shall not apply to extensions of existing approvals, originally granted prior to the date of entry into force of Supplement 3.”

10. GRB requested the secretariat to issue, as soon as possible, an addendum to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2018/7 with the above text, thus allowing Contracting Parties to prepare for its consideration at the forthcoming session of WP.29 in March 2018.

53. In particular, the GRB chair mentioned that GRB had adopted amendment proposals to Regulation No. 51 which would introduce an option of indoor testing, according to standard ISO 362-3, upon understanding that the Type Approval Authority could always mandate an outdoor test for verification. He further pointed out that GRB had addressed the pending issue of transitional provisions for the earlier amendment proposals to Regulation No. 51 which had been submitted to the March 2018 session of WP.29 as ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2018/7. GRB had agreed that these proposals should be introduced as a Supplement with an 18-month transitional period and requested the secretariat to issue an addendum to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2018/7.