Proposal to cease new approvals of booster-cushion CRS under UN R44 from 1 September 2021 and to amend the transitional provisions accordingly.
26. The expert from European Association for the Coordination of Consumer Representation in Standardization on behalf of Consumers International, introduced ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/23 which aimed to stop the development of new products according to UN Regulation No. 44, since child restraint system of all types (including booster category) had been included in the scope of UN Regulation No. 129. He added that the current direction of work had created an undesirable situation that would allow for an indefinite period: (a) two categories of products offering two levels of protection, (b) confusion among consumers and (c) less encouragement for manufacturers to develop products based on the latest standard. The experts from the Netherlands and EC supported the proposal to phase out UN Regulation No. 44. However, the expert from OICA questioned the issue of built-in CRS and proposed to exclude them from the phase out. Moreover, GRSP noted the remark from IWG on International Whole Vehicle Type Approval (IWVTA) that noted that transitional provisions (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/23) were not in line with the templates of the General Guidelines of ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1044/Rev.2. Therefore, GRSP considered GRSP-66-37. The expert from CLEPA argued that the transitional provisions were too stringent and requested a delay. Finally, GRSP adopted ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2019/23, as amended by Annex V to the session report. The secretariat was requested to submit it as Supplement 18 to the 04 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 44, for consideration and vote at the June 2019 sessions of WP.29 and AC.1.