Mr. Loccufier, Chairman of the Informal Working Group, opened the session welcoming all the participants.

A list of all participants is available in Annex 1 of the session report.
Apologies for absence were received by Mr. Draper, Ms. Sakuma, Mr. Pernkopf, Mr. Renders.

The agenda was adopted with the insertion of documents SLR-05-17 and SLR-05-18 under item 11.

SLR-05-14/Rev.1 | Draft agenda for the 5th SLR informal group session

The report was adopted without modifications.

SLR-04-15 | Report of the 4th SLR informal group session

Mr. Puglisi introduced the revised timeline pointing out that it shows an optimistic scenario and that the final result will be determined by the commitment and active participation from CPs and NGOs. He explained that the target is to deliver the complete package (i.e. simplified Regulations and Resolution) for GRE-76 in October 2016 for adoption by WP.29 at its March 2017 session.

Mr. Puglisi clarified that the package for Light Sources (i.e. simplified R-37, R-99, R-128 and Resolution) is not part of this timeline as it was submitted already to GRE-74 and, if adopted by GRE, it is expected to be on the WP.29 agenda in March 2016.

Mr. Bauckhage asked whether it is possible to send the whole package of all simplified documents at once and what are the consequences in case just one document will not be adopted.
Mr. Loccufier will verify these aspects with the ECE secretariat.

Mr. Bauckhage furthermore pointed out that the date of entry into force of all documents (i.e. simplified Regulations and Resolution) shall be the same.

Mr. Rovers recalled that in case of an amendment to a Regulation, following the approval of WP.29, the proposal is still subject to formal adoption by AC.1 before being submitted to the UN Secretary-General in New York who shall give notification of this amendment to the CPs applying the Regulation. If within 6 months from the notification by the Secretary-General no more than 1/3 of the CPs will be in disagreement with the amendment, the amendment is adopted (see Art. 12 of the 1958 Agreement for further details).

With regards to the Resolution, Mr. Rovers informed that the text adopted by WP.29 does not need any further approval and can be used immediately. The management of this 7-9 months of difference in the process will require good cooperation between the Secretariat in Geneva and the UN in New York in order to synchronize the availability of the Resolution and the simplified Regulations.

Mr. Rovers observed that the first package, dealing with the simplified light sources Regulations and the associated Resolution, will be a good test case on how to proceed in the future with the rest of the simplified Regulations.

Concerning the date from when the text of a Resolution can be considered “in force”, Mr. Bauckhage asked for clarifications about the following options:
- The date when WP.29 takes the decision
- The date when the report of WP.29 is formally adopted and/or published on the ECE website
- The date when the Resolution is published on the ECE website
Mr. Loccufier will verify these aspects with the ECE secretariat.

Mr. Manz asked clarifications about the use of dynamic references and how to manage them from a legal point of view, and recommended to address this matter at GRE-74. Mr. Loccufier reported that the EC is not in favour to use dynamic references but agreed to discuss this subject within GRE. Mr. Bauckhage informed that, from the Secretariat’s point of view, it should be possible to manage dynamic references without problems.

SLR-05-12 | Updated SLR informal group timeline

Mr. Puglisi informed that the current schedule of work (see SLR-05-12) is no longer aligned with the adopted ToR as reproduced in Annex VIII to the GRE-72 Report (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRE/72). Moreover in the ToR it was foreseen the possibility to merge regulations containing similar or identical provisions but this informal group subsequently reached the conclusion that the merging of regulation might not necessarily be the best solution (see “Conclusion #6” taken at the 3rd meeting, doc. SLR-03-14). The meeting acknowledged the above diversions from the ToR but agreed for the time being not to request any amendment to the ToR.

GRE/72 | Report of the Working Party on Lighting and Light-Signalling (GRE) on its 72nd session

SLR-03-14 | Report of the third SLR informal working group session

SLR-05-12 | Updated SLR informal group timeline

The draft text for a Resolution document (SLR-05-13/Rev.1) was examined in details and several improvements were made.

The following is a list of the most significant changes and conclusions that were agreed by the SLR:

• New title, to include also the type approval of vehicles, to read: “Common provisions for the type approval of lighting, light-signalling and retro-reflecting devices and material and of vehicles with regard to the installation thereof”.
• New scope, derived from R.E.3, to read: “The text hereafter includes all the common provisions from those UN Regulations annexed to the 1958 Agreement, which make reference to this Resolution, for the type approval of lighting, light-signalling and retro-reflecting devices and material and of vehicles with regard to the installation thereof”.
• The Scope will become “Paragraph 1.” and the subsequent ones will be renumbered accordingly.
• The list of contentswill be changed with a very general title and then some sub-paragraphs. As an example, the section dealing with the definitions will have the following structure:
  • 2. Definitions
    2.1. Definitions of type
    • 2.2. General definitions (including light sources)</li
    • 2.3. Definitions with regard to installation
    • 2.4. Definitions for devices
      • 2.4.1 Definitions for lighting devices
      • 2.4.2. Definitions for light-signalling devices
      • 2.4.3. Definitions for adaptive front lighting
      • 2.4.4. Definitions for retro-reflecting devices
      • 2.4.5. … …
    • 2.5. … …
    A polish work will be done to re-structure the paragraphs throughout the text according to the amended list of contents.
  
  
• Avoid backward links from the Resolution to the Regulations as much as possible. The user is intended to come to the Resolution from a Regulation and not vice-versa.


• A status table will be added at the start of the Resolution for common administrative provisions to indicate the date of publication of each revision, like for the Resolution on light sources (see GRE/2015/28).


• Volunteers were identified to improve the following sections:
  
  
  • A CLEPA delegate will be in charge of section 2 “Definitions”. A comparison table with the old and new references will be produced as well.
    
  • Mr. Genone will be in charge of sections 3, 4 and 5; namely “Application for Approval”, “Approval” and “Markings”.
    
  • Mr. Schwenkschuster, with the assistance of Mr. Prigent and Mr. Langhammer for double-checking the modified references, will be in charge of section 6 “General requirements” which will incorporate sections 7, 8 and 9; namely “General requirements for signalling lamps”, “General requirements for head lamps” and “General requirements for retro-reflecting devices”.
  
  
• Mr. Puglisi will combine all the different improved parts and circulate the revised text for consideration at the next meeting.

SLR-05-13/Rev.1 | Working draft resolution on common provisions for lighting, light-signalling and retro-reflecting devices for a type to be approved

The draft text for a simplified R-48 (SLR-05-15) was examined by the participants and some editorial work has been identified. In particular:

• Remove the remaining references to part A and B coming from the previous draft where R-48 was divided in two parts.
• Change all the links to “Resolution No xyz”. Links to definitions to be changed according to the new structure of section 2 “Definitions”.
• Double-check all links inside the document.

Mr. Genone volunteered to do this job. He will provide a revised text for consideration at the next meeting.

SLR-05-15 | SLR informal group simplified UN Regulation No. 48

The meeting agreed to work on the draft simplified R-7 at the next session.

SLR-05-16 | SLR informal group simplified UN Regulation No. 7 Simplified lighting regulation superseding document SLR-04-02/Rev.1.

Discussed under item 5.

- SLR fine tuning

- Clarification SLR light sources proposals
Mr. de Visser briefly introduced both proposals pointing out that they are intended to be submitted to GRE-74 as informal documents to be added to the light source package. Both documents were discussed and finally approved for submission to GRE (now available as GRE-74-17 and GRE-74-18).

Mr. Loccufier and Mr. Rovers pointed out that the last slide on the “entry into force” timeline is the key point to be shown to GRE.

The following meeting schedule was proposed by the group:

6th IWG SLR meeting – Brussels on 5-6 November 2015
The meeting will be held at the CLEPA Headquarters and, if possible, a WebEx / Teleconference facility will be provided too. The meeting will be held on 5 November from 9:30 to 17:00 hrs and on 6 November from 9:00 to 12:00 hrs.

7th IWG SLR meeting – Brussels on 3-4 December 2015 (To be confirmed)

The Chairman thanked all the participants for their fruitful contribution and closed the meeting.