1. The World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) held its 154th session from 21–24 June 2011 chaired by Mr. B. Kisulenko (Russian Federation). The following countries were represented, following Rule 1(a) of the Rules of Procedure of WP.29 (TRANS/WP.29/690 and ECE/TRANS/WP.29/690/Amend.1): Australia; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Canada; People’s Republic of China; Czech Republic; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Hungary; India; Italy, Japan; Latvia; Luxemburg; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Republic of Korea; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Republic of South Africa; Spain; Switzerland; Thailand; Ukraine; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; United States of America. Representatives of the European Union (EU) participated. The following intergovernmental organization was represented: International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The following nongovernmental organizations were also represented: International Organization for Standardization (ISO); International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA); International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (IMMA); European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA; Representing also the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) and Japan Auto Parts Industries Association (JAPIA)); Working Party “Brussels 1952” (GTB); Association for Emission Control by Catalyst (AECC); the Foundation for the Automobile and Society (FIA Foundation); the International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee (CITA). At the invitation of the secretariat, the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization (ETRTO) also participated.

2. The Director of the Transport Division welcomed the participants and made a reference that in March 2010, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2011–2020 to be the Decade of Action for Road Safety. In its “Resolution on Improving Road Safety”, the General Assembly called for intensive work to reduce road fatalities by increasing activities at national, regional and global levels. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe has been pioneering Road Safety in the UN system covering a wide range of activities. She invited the World Forum to contribute to the success of the Decade of Action, especially under pillar 3 on “Safer vehicles”. Furthermore, she underlined the importance of the development of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) horizontal activities, of sustainable development and transport, and of the For Future Inland Transport Systems (ForFITS) project on inland transport CO2 emissions supported by the United Nations Development Account (UNDA).

3. The Director announced that the new P3 staff member is to start on 1 July 2011 and that he would be responsible for Fuel Quality, GRPE, Environmentally Friendly Vehicles and UNDA project. She informed WP.29 that to solve the backlogs/delays in the availability of amendments and consolidated versions of UN Regulations, all administrative staff of the Division would help out, as well as engaging a temporary G staff. Finally, she informed WP.29 that, beginning of 2012, the secretariat would prepare only the English version of the working documents and legal texts of UN Regulations and UN Global Technical Regulations (UN GTRs). She said that the French and Russian versions would be prepared by the Document Management Section (DMS). In this regard, the Chair of WP.29 pointed out the importance to have the three versions of the legal texts before their entry into force.