10. The EC expert informed GRB on the work progress of the European Union (EU) institutions on the EC proposal on vehicle noise. He added that at this stage no political agreement on new limits had been reached at the EU level.

11. The expert from China introduced GRB-56-07, proposing a different scheme to identify vehicle categories. He also added that his proposal would offer an option to cover needs of a broader range of countries. The experts from Japan and OICA endorsed the Power to Mass Ratio index (PMR) as a tool to link noise emission and vehicle performance. The EC expert recalled that to overcome the different national political priorities/classifications, the discussion should be focused on the mutual recognition principle of the 1958 Agreement, i.e. the vehicle complying with the lowest noise level would be accepted everywhere. He recalled that this would not prevent Contracting Parties from having less stringent requirements in their national law for their internal markets. Finally GRB agreed to resume consideration of GRB-56-07 at its February 2013 session to provide study time for experts.

12. GRB considered GRB-56-01 and GRB-56-05 supplementing ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2012/7 tabled by the expert from Japan. He explained that the proposal was based on GRB-55-01, including limit values with some modification of the threshold of subcategories, as a basis for a common position with the proposal tabled by the expert from Germany (GRB-54-03). Moreover, he made a presentation (GRB-56-21) concerning rationales for the proposed Stage 3 of limit values. The EC expert stated that the review of vehicle classification should not only consider the proposals tabled by the experts from Germany and Japan, but also the present vehicle classification in UN Regulation No. 51 and in the EC proposal and verify the rationales for the changes proposed by the experts from Germany and Japan.

GRB recalled that the EC proposal was available at: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/automotive/documents/proposals/index_en.htm#h2-1

13. Upon the suggestion of the Chair, GRB agreed to verify data and provide a basis for analysis for a power reference value of 160 kW in vehicle category M3 and for the reference value of 140 kW in vehicle category N2. Finally, GRB agreed to resume consideration on this subject at its February 2013 session on the basis of the above test data, if available, and on those existing provided by the experts from China, Japan and EC.

5. Concerning the updating of the requirements on the noise test track from ISO 10844:1994 to ISO 10844:2011, GRB agreed on aligning the UN Regulation with the decision taken for UN Regulation No. 117 on this subject (superseding ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2012/16) (see also paras. 16 and 17). Accordingly, the expert from OICA withdrew GRB-57-20 and it was agreed to keep ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2012/16 for reference. Finally, GRB agreed to defer discussion at its September 2013 session on the basis of a revised consolidated proposal of 03 series of amendments to the UN Regulation (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2012/8) including a new proposal for transitional provisions (GRB-57-17), ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2012/17 and the provisions of Supplement 8 to the 02 series of amendments (see para. 10).

7. The expert from OICA, secretary of the group of interested expert on vehicle noise, introduced GRB-58-04 (superseding ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2012/8, ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRB/2012/16 and GRB-56-12) as a result of discussions in the last meeting of his group held in Brussels on 4 July 2013. The expert from EC, Chair, of the same group clarified that GRB-58-04 was an attempt to merge the provisions of the proposal of the Parliament and the Council of the EU1 with the current proposal of 03 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 51 and including additional aspects concerning the Chinese and Japanese markets, which were beyond the scope of the European Union legislation. He added that the outcome of discussions that would follow within GRB would be transmitted to the EU legislators with the aim of harmonizing the proposal with the draft 03 series of amendments. The expert from Japan proposed GRB-58-15 proposing the removal from GRB-58-04 of specifications on audible vehicle alerting system (AVAS) which is still in the process of development in the framework of activities of the UN GTR on Quiet Road Transport Vehicles (QRTV). The expert from Japan, Vice-Chair of the QRTV informal working group (IWG), also on behalf of the Chair of the IWG, reported similar concerns and request. The experts from China, the Republic of Korea and OICA supported these remarks. GRB endorsed the proposal made by the expert from Japan by suspending the discussion on AVAS provisions. GRB agreed to incorporate the results of discussion, including those of agenda item 3(b) (see paras. 10 and 11) into GRB-58-17-Rev.1., superseding GRB-58-04. It was noted that provisions still pending or suspended, were placed in square brackets in this document. The Chair of GRB clarified that GRB-58-17-Rev.1 would remain, on an informal basis, as a platform of discussion between the experts from GRB and EU in the group of interested experts on vehicle noise. GRB agreed to resume discussion on this subject on the basis of the outcome of next meetings of the group of interested experts scheduled for the first week of November 2013 and for the second week of January 2014 (both in Brussels).