23. On behalf the GRB Ambassador to IWVTA, the expert from EC reported on the progress made on Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement and on the development of UN Regulation No. 0. At its June 2014 session, WP.29 had agreed to freeze the work on Revision 3 and to resume its consideration in November 2014 on the basis of political and legal guidance that the Contracting Parties had been requested to provide, in particular, on outstanding issues of proxy voting and the three-fourth or the four-fifth majority required for taking decisions. WP.29 had also approved a questionnaire on IWVTA which was subsequently distributed. The latest draft of Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement is contained in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/53 and ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/82.

29. The secretariat informed GRB about the current situation in Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement, development of IVWTA and the Database on Exchange of Type Approval documentation (DETA) and highlighted the recent changes in the draft text of Revision 3 made at the November 2014 session of WP.29 as well as the remaining outstanding issues (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/53, ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/82). GRB requested the secretariat to deliver, at its next session, a detailed presentation on Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement. The Chair pointed out that Regulations Nos. 28, 51 and 117 under the responsibility of GRB had been recently amended and are ready for the inclusion in the IVWTA listing.

33. The Secretary to WP.29 reported on the progress made on Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement and on the development of Regulation No. 0. At its June 2014 session, WP.29 had agreed to freeze the work on Revision 3 and to resume its consideration in November 2014 on the basis of political and legal guidance that the Contracting Parties had been requested to provide, in particular, on outstanding issues of proxy voting and the three-fourth or the four-fifth majority required for taking decisions. WP.29 had also approved a questionnaire on IWVTA, which was subsequently distributed. The latest draft of Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement is available in ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/53 and ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/82.

39. The IWVTA Ambassador reported on the progress made by the IWG on IWVTA and the availability of the draft UN Regulation No. 0 (WP.29-162-04). He highlighted the ongoing discussion on the relevant content of lists A and B for UN Regulation No. 0, noting that UN Regulation No. 85 was in list A and that both UN Regulation No. 101 and WLTP were listed in List B. He echoed the comments made by the Chair on WLTP (see para. 10 above).

40. The secretariat also reported on the progress made on draft Revision 3 of the 1958 Agreement (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/53) and referred to WP.29-162-12-Rev.1 as well as WP.29-162-18. He added that the draft Revision 3 of the Agreement included some new elements:

(a) Allowing Contracting Parties to grant type approvals according to former versions of UN Regulations;

(b) Triggering the mandatory application by Contracting Parties of new series of amendments to UN Regulations on a common commencement date (e.g. 1 September each year). These elements would permit to yearly collect into a single amendment to UN Regulation No. 0 all newly adopted amendments to existing UN Regulations and new UN Regulations;

41. The secretariat added that the Group was proposing to better follow the definitions of Supplements and series of amendments to ease the IWVTA process and that a set of amendments to a UN Regulation would only be permitted once a year. He concluded that guidelines for transitional provisions (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1044/Rev.1) would be amended accordingly.

42. The GRPE Chair clarified that no further action was needed from GRPE at the moment.

42. GRSG noted a recommendation by the Chairs of the Working Parties subsidiary to WP.29 to insert the new provisions for granting revisions and extension to type approvals into the Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3) and to refer in the corresponding UN Regulations to that part of R.E.3 (see report ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1104, para. 19). GRSG also noted that the World Forum was expected to consider a concrete proposal for a new Annex A.5 to the R.E.3 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2013/126) during the forthcoming session in November 2013. The expert from OICA announced that the informal group on the International Whole Vehicle Type Approval (IWVTA) already inserted the new provisions on revisions and extension to type approvals into draft Revision 3 to the 1958 Agreement (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2013/134).

43. Recalling the adoption of draft amendments to UN Regulations Nos. 18, 34, 35, 43 and 58 at its previous session, GRSG agreed to reconsider the follow-up actions of ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSG/2013/8, awaiting the decision of WP.29.

42. GRSP noted that the consideration of draft Revision 3 to the 1958 Agreement (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/53) was scheduled for the June session of WP.29 as well as other pending issues such as: (i) proxy vote, (ii) the final list A of draft UN Regulation No. 0 and (iii) common commencement dates for new series of amendments to UN Regulations. GRSP noted WP.29-162-18 introducing principles for supplements, series of amendments and Revisions to UN Regulations. GRSP finally agreed to move UN Regulation No. 16 to the final list A, while UN Regulation No. 14 should be moved to list B.

43. Moreover, GRSP noted GRSP-55-17, indicating possible scenarios for the introduction of different propulsion tractions into the UN Regulation in view of IWVTA. The expert from OICA stated that UN Regulations should be considered technologically and fuel neutral. The expert from Germany indicated that the solution of developing specialized Annexes, each dedicated to specific fuel systems, could facilitate Contracting Parties when applying preceding series of amendments. However, he suggested that GRSP-55-17 would be further discussed and referred to the IWG on IWVTA to verify if such a solution would be viable for all UN Regulations. He also envisaged that the issue of cross referencing to other UN Regulations should be further developed by the IWG. GRSP agreed to resume discussion on this issue and to refer in the meantime GRSP-55-17 to the IWVTA IWG for consideration.

47. WP.29 noted the revised text of draft Revision 3 to the 1958 Agreement (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/53) reflecting the discussion of the March 2014 session. The World Forum requested the secretariat to reintroduce the provisions of the equal authenticity of English, French and Russian languages which existed in the first unamended text of the Agreement. WP.29 decided to freeze the draft revision and requested the Contracting Parties to clarify their political and legal views on this draft revision. WP.29 agreed to resume consideration of the revision of the Agreement at its November 2014 session, awaiting the appropriate political and legal guidance.

50. The representative of the EU, chairing the IWVTA subgroup on the review of the 1958 Agreement, informed the World Forum that a first proposal for amendments to the 1958 Agreement had been completed by the subgroup (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2013/134). He indicated that, after transmitting the proposal, the subgroup had convened again prior to the WP.29 session and that the majority of the pending issues had been solved (WP.29-161-15 superseding ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2013/134). He provided WP.29 with a general overview on the development of the proposal (WP.29-161-16) and recalled certain major features aimed to increase the attractiveness of the revised 1958 Agreement: (i) the possibility to grant and recognize type approvals according to previous series of amendments to UN Regulations, (ii) the possibility of a CP to delegate its voting right to another CP and (iii) the possibility for a CP to vote in favour of a new UN Regulation but to apply the UN Regulation at a later time point. He reported that the main pending issue for WP.29 to consider was the need to modify the two-third majority threshold for adopting new UN Regulations and amendments to existing UN Regulations. He concluded his presentation by inviting all the CPs to analyse the proposal and to provide their feedback at the next session of WP.29 in March 2014. The subgroup should resolve the issues by the November 2014 session of WP.29. At the March 2015 session, WP.29 should be in a position to identify if unanimity can be achieved to amend the Agreement and to launch the formal procedure for the amendment of the Agreement by a CP. Revision 3 to the 1958 Agreement would then enter into force on March 2016.

51. WP.29 noted a general support on the development of the amendments to the Agreement and requested the secretariat to distribute WP.29-161-15 with an official symbol for consideration at its next session. WP.29 also noted that further amendments to WP.29-161-15 to resolve the pending issues, would be presented at the March 2014 session as an informal document.

51. WP.29 recalled the frozen text of draft Revision 3 to the 1958 Agreement (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/53) and the additional provisions on the equal authenticity of English, French and Russian languages (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/82).

56. The World Forum recognized that the Contracting Parties would need more time to review the above proposals and agreed to resume consideration of this subject at its next session in March 2015. The representatives of Germany and the United Kingdom noted the need for a finalized text prior to submitting to their national authorities for approval and so the World Forum agreed that adoption of the revised agreement would be delayed accordingly. The secretariat was also requested to circulate WP.29-164-23 as a separate official document.

53. The Secretary to AC.1 reported on the progress in preparing Revision 3 of 1958 Agreement, including UN Regulation No. 0 on IWTA (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2014/53 and WP.29-162-04), as well as the proposed revised guidelines for supplements and series of amendments to UN Regulations (WP.29-162-18) whose main elements are as follows:

a) Contracting Parties may apply former versions of UN Regulations, “engraved in stone”;

b) establish common date (e.g. 1 September each year) of entry into force of new series of amendments to UN Regulations;

c) only one new series of amendments per year would be allowed;

d) in case of several series of amendments in force, for every supplement the respective GR and WP.29 should indicate the series of amendments it refers to. The secretariat should prepare separate documents for each series of amendments for adoption by WP.29 and AC.1;

f) the guidelines for transitional provisions established by WP.29 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1044/Rev.1) would be amended accordingly.

54. GRE took note of the above information and expressed no objections to setting the common annual date of entry into force of new series of amendments on 1 September.