The Informal Working Group on Prioritization adopted draft terms of reference for submission to AC.2 and WP.29, with endorsement planned for November 2026 and adoption in March 2027. The group discussed amendments to the terms of reference, including proposals by Sweden and the United Kingdom regarding wording and introductory verbs. Document IWG-Prio-02-04 on prioritization was approved for tabling to WP.29 and AC.2, then distribution to each GRX as a new agenda entry to enable WP.29 members to evaluate priorities from a consolidated numbered list.

Proposed Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedures for the AC.2/WP.29 Informal Group on Prioritization. The IWG-Prio shall develop recommendations on prioritizing activities based on alignment with strategies, regulatory urgency, safety and environmental benefits, resource implications, duplication avoidance, interested parties, and governance of legal instruments. The IWG-Prio shall conduct high-level review of ongoing and proposed activities, develop recommendations regarding initiation and continuation of regulatory activities, identify opportunities to improve efficiency of WP.29 activities including coordination among groups and meeting scheduling, and provide a framework for common understanding of prioritization. The IWG-Prio shall prepare recommendations for non-binding guidance material and proposed procedures for consideration by AC.2 and WP.29 no later than their November 2028 session. The IWG-Prio shall be placed under WP.29, open to all WP.29 participants, chaired by one of the Vice-Chairs of WP.29, and shall operate in English with decisions reached by consensus.

Draft agenda for the Informal Working Group on Prioritization meeting scheduled for Friday 30 October 2026. The agenda covers adoption of the agenda, draft terms of reference with documents IWG-Prio-02-02 and IWG-Prio-02-03 including a consolidation of comments and proposal for amendments by Sweden, prioritization through creation of a consolidated numbered list of all GR priorities for WP.29 members to rank by importance to identify common agreement on high and lower priority work items and potential items to pause, list of actions, date and place of next meeting, and any other business.

Sweden proposes to amend the draft terms of reference to: replace “criteria” with “principles” for prioritization, add injury reduction and technology maturity as considerations, move alignment with ITC and WP.29 strategies to the first consideration point, add governance of existing legal instruments as a consideration, exclude available resources and workload from the high-level review stage, require resource consideration during recommendations, replace “develop” with “provide a framework for” regarding common understanding of prioritization, place the IWG-Prio under WP.29 only, specify reporting to WP.29 without mandatory AC.2 reporting, and when consensus cannot be achieved, bring differing views to AC.2 for deliberations before WP.29 reporting.

The Informal Working Group on Prioritization held its first meeting on 25 September 2026. The group discussed the context and background of its establishment under WP.29 Vice-Chair Takashi Naono, including the inception report and guidance from WP.29 to continue work with participation of NGOs and OICA as technical secretary. The group reviewed draft terms of reference distinguishing final objectives from proposed means to achieve them, including common understanding of prioritization, high-level review of current GRs activities and resource needs, and possible approaches to define prioritization. Discussions addressed whether the IWG should be under AC.2 or WP.29 responsibility, with consensus emerging toward WP.29. The group reviewed a prioritization methodology document from UK proposing a consolidated numbered list of all GR priorities for individual ranking by WP.29 members. The group established actions including provision of comments on draft terms of reference no later than one week prior to the next meeting, with terms of reference to be implemented no later than November 2028.

Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure for the Informal Working Group on Prioritization (IWG-Prio). The IWG-Prio shall develop recommendations on prioritization criteria including regulatory urgency, safety, environmental, fuel efficiency and security benefits, resource implications, field data availability, technology maturity, and alignment with ITC and WP.29 strategies. The group shall conduct a high-level review of ongoing and proposed activities and develop recommendations regarding initiation and continuation of regulatory activities. The IWG-Prio shall identify opportunities to improve efficiency of WP.29 activities including coordination among groups, meeting scheduling, digitalization, information sharing, and establishment, continuation, review and closure of working groups and task forces. The group shall prepare recommendations for consideration by AC.2 and WP.29 at their November 2028 session.

Provisional agenda for the first session of the Informal Working Group on Prioritization. The IWG will adopt its agenda, review context from WP.29-199 including the inception report, discuss draft terms of reference distinguishing final objectives such as improvements in safety, emissions, and security from proposed means to achieve them, consider reference documentation from WP.29 and related agreements, discuss prioritization by consolidating a numbered list of all Global Technical Regulation priorities for ranking by WP.29 members to identify common agreement and potential work items to pause, decide on a list of actions with assigned tasks and deadlines, and schedule the next meeting.

Document provides excerpts from WP.29 terms of reference (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/690/Rev.2), the 58 Agreement (E/ECE/TRANS/505/Rev.3), and the 98 Agreement (ECE/TRANS/132). The excerpts establish that WP.29 shall initiate actions aiming at harmonization or development of technical regulations adapted to technical progress directed at improving vehicle safety, protecting the environment, promoting energy efficiency and anti-theft performance. Technical requirements shall be performance oriented wherever appropriate and not design-restrictive. The 98 Agreement requires transparent procedures, objective consideration of best available technology, relative benefits and cost effectiveness, and examination of technical and economic feasibility when developing global technical regulations.