53. Introducing GRPE-65-03 and GRPE-65-31, the secretary of the informal group on EVE summarized the progress made. He explained that the approach adopted to provide recommendations to GRPE is centred on a Regulatory Reference Guide organized around attributes that characterize electric vehicles, batteries, charging infrastructure and market deployment support mechanisms, with specific attention to their relation with the environment. Potential gaps in the current regulations will be also taken care of in the reference guide. Contracting Parties and other stakeholders are expected to contribute to the guide with information through a specific questionnaire. Seeking GRPE approval, he also introduced GRPE-65-04-Rev.1, containing revised terms of reference (objectives, organization and structure, operating principles and timeline) of the group.

54. GRPE acknowledged the progress made and approved the updated EVE terms of reference, as reproduced in Annex V. The group should meet in conjunction with the next GRPE session, in June 2013, following the EVE meeting scheduled on 11-12 April 2013 in Tokyo.

The Secretary provided an update on the approval of the terms of reference by AC.3. The Secretary reminded participants that at the 158th session of the WP.29, held in November 2012, the AC.3/WP.29 requested that the Terms of Reference and a Progress Report for the EVE be presented at the 159th session, to be held in March 2013. The EVE Secretariat has submitted and obtained approval of documents GRPE-65-03 and GRPE-65-04 by GRPE in January 2013. The Terms of Reference were subsequently added to the GRPE 65th session report for presentation at AC.3. The GRPE report was, however, not submitted in time for presentation to AC.3 at the 159th session in March and will instead be considered at the 160th session in June.