20. The expert from Germany introduced ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRSP/2014/20 proposing the prohibition of side-facing seats for any N category of vehicle. The expert from OICA argued that the proposed amendment would also ban some special purpose vehicles which so far did not create safety issue and offered his cooperation to revise the proposal. GRSP noted that the issue was focused on the corresponding EU Directive rather than UN Regulation No. 17 provisions. Accordingly, the expert from Germany withdrew the proposal and GRSP agreed to remove this subject from the agenda of the May 2015 session.

19. The expert from Germany introduced GRSP-55-19 to extend the prohibition of installation of side-facing seats to all categories of commercial vehicles (N). The expert from Turkey raised a study reservation and the expert from OICA argued that this extension should be carefully examined for special vehicles (e.g. ambulances, hearses). GRSP agreed to resume consideration of this agenda item at its December 2014 session and requested the secretariat to distribute GRSP-55-19 with an official symbol.