Questionnaire on DETA/IWVTA Workshop. Part 1: DETA session requests respondent’s name and organization, then asks about level of understanding of DETA session as high, moderate, or low; items needing more explanation; and suggestions to make DETA more attractive for 1958 Contracting Parties, 1998 Contracting Parties, 1997 Contracting Parties, approval holders, and other users. Part 2: IWVTA session asks about level of understanding of IWVTA session as high, moderate, or low; items needing more explanation; and for Authorities, how Regulation No. 0 could be improved to make IWVTA acceptable for use as part of vehicle type-approval process. The future workshop section asks about expectations for next workshop and suggestions on contents, timing, and length.

IWVTA, established in 2017 under UN R0 and the 1958 Agreement, extends mutual recognition from individual vehicle systems to whole vehicles, reducing duplication while preserving safety and environmental standards. Key benefits include simplified approval procedures, reduced testing and administrative costs, and improved time-to-market through a single coherent whole-vehicle approval framework based on UN Regulations. IWVTA acts as a convergence tool between different regulatory systems and offers a flexible framework for emerging markets. Main obstacles include that IWVTA is not yet global, with limited coverage, uneven acceptance, and complexity of introduction.

A Universal International Whole Vehicle Type Approval issued for vehicles of category M₁ under UN R0 that includes type-approval under the UN Regulations concerned shall be considered equivalent to an EU type-approval granted under Framework Regulation (EU) 2018/858. The approval authority granting EU-WVTA must confirm for all variants and versions within the EU-WVTA vehicle type the equivalence of the Part III list and that the EU-WVTA type is covered by the IWVTA class and IWVTA type.

DETA is the secure internet database for exchanging type approval documentation between Contracting Parties of the 1958 Agreement, as required by Revision 3 of that Agreement. Currently hosted by Germany, DETA stores approval notices, extensions, refusals, withdrawals, and related documents including test reports and communications. Access is limited to registered users: Contracting Parties nominate a single DETA Focal Point to manage accounts; manufacturers and technical services request access via their approval authority. As of the workshop date, 41 Contracting Parties had notified their Focal Point, approximately 132,000 approvals were uploaded by 23 Type Approval Authorities, and approximately 7,735 manufacturers were registered.

The 1st DETA/IWVTA Joint Workshop is scheduled for June 17, 2026, 9:30–12:30 (CEST) as a hybrid meeting in Flensburg. The provisional agenda includes opening remarks from the DETA Chair, IWVTA Chair, and President of KBA. Part 1 covers DETA topics: what DETA is, a demonstration, ASEAN countries’ expectations, and ways to make DETA more attractive. Part 2 covers IWVTA topics: what IWVTA is, industry’s expectations, issuance and acceptance of IWVTA certificates in the EU, and ways to make IWVTA more attractive. The workshop concludes with any other business.

IWVTA is an internationally recognised whole vehicle type approval scheme within the revised 1958 Agreement framework. It establishes mutual recognition of vehicle type approvals at the whole vehicle level across Contracting Parties, eliminating requirements for further testing, documentation, or certification for safety, environment, energy, and anti-theft. IWVTA comprises two approaches: U-IWVTA applies the highest stringency of latest UN Regulations, while L-IWVTA permits omissions or lower stringency versions. The scope is limited to passenger cars. Merits include simplified type approval systems, reduced testing and administrative costs, and shortened processing times.

The document reports on ASEAN workshops held in March 2025 and January 2026 regarding vehicle type approval systems under the 1958 Agreement and UN Regulations. The Philippines raised concerns that not all UNR type approval certificates are available in the DETA database, with no prescribed timeline for uploading newly issued approvals or removing withdrawn certificates, and that access to DETA is limited to Contracting Parties to the 1958 Agreement. The Philippines proposes designating a national DETA focal point, securing official access for all regulatory authorities, requiring complete type approval certificate packages, and relaying concerns to WP.29/UN ECE Secretariat. Singapore and Thailand expressed interest in understanding DETA obligations and minimum commitments for Contracting Parties, and requested practical guidance on UN Regulations compliance.