94. The Russian Federation reported on the difficulties in the application of UN Regulation No. 117, where type approval tests are based on comparing the performances of candidate tyres with Standard Reference Test Tyres (SRTT). These tyres are produced under the ASTM standards by the sole manufacturer - the French company Michelin which supplies SRTT to the technical services of the Contracting Parties to the 1958 Geneva Agreement. Since 2024 Michelin had refused to supply SRTT to the Russian Federation, due to the EU sanctions on the export of tyres to Russia. The Russian Federation pointed out that this situation impedes the national implementation of not only UN Regulation No. 117, but also of the new UN Regulation on tyre abrasion. The Russian Federation believed that, being a part of the UN system, Michelin had no right to invoke any sanctions by refusing to supply products that are indispensable for the implementation of the 1958 Agreement. The Russian Federation called on WP.29 to give an adequate assessment of the described discrimination.

95. The representative of EU confirmed that the case of Michelin falls under the Sanctions Regulation EU 833/2014, which prohibits the sale and supply of goods to Russian Federation and requested WP.29 to consider this situation as force majeure. He also added that the Russian State Entities may appeal against the sanctions in the EU Court of Justice.

96. The secretariat clarified that Michelin may not be considered as part of the UN system, as the company had not been established by a competent UN organ. Moreover, Michelin is not mentioned in UN Regulation No. 117.

97. The GRBP Chair, the EU representative and the secretariat pointed out that there may be other manufacturers of SRTT tyres, subject to demonstration of compliance with the ASTM standards.

98. The WP.29 Chair recognized the issue and suggested revisiting it at the next session.