56. The representative of France, chairing the IWG on IWVTA, reported on the outcome of the meetings held in Paris prior to the WP.29 session. On behalf of the Chair of the IWVTA subgroup on the 1958 Agreement, the representative of EU presented the status on the review of the revised 1958 Agreement (WP.29-160-27). He outlined that the main part of the Agreement would remain unchanged and highlighted the new elements of the revision. He announced the intention of the informal group to finalize, at its forthcoming session in September 2013, the draft Revision 3 of the Agreement for consideration by WP.29 at the November 2013 session. WP.29 noted that it would be proposed that the current text of the Agreement on self-certification would remain unchanged. The representative of the Russian Federation expressed concerns on the new safeguard in view of the lack of objective criteria.

57. The World Forum noted that some remaining open issues have still to be resolved by the IWG on IWVTA: (i) level of ambition with respect to the “substantial and editorial” amendments to the Agreement and (ii) the legal status of the so-called placeholder specifying the administrative and procedural provisions applicable to all UN Regulations annexed to the 1958 Agreement.

58. WP.29 urged the IWVTA subgroup on the 1958 Agreement to resolve the open issues and agreed to have a detailed discussion on this subject at the November 2013 session. In this respect, the Chair invited all interested delegates from the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to participate in the subgroup’s forthcoming meeting in September 2013.