Car industry: approval of an airbag module for replacement airbags, revised agreement, UN/ECE regulation

PURPOSE: to present a proposal for a Council Decision on the position of the European Community on the draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the approval of an airbag module for a replacement airbag system, a replacement steering wheel equipped with an airbag module of an approved type and a replacement airbag system other than that installed in a steering wheel. CONTENT: following Council Decision 97/836/EC of 27 November 1997, the European Community became a Contracting party to the 1958 Revised Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) on 24 March 1998. Article 4 of that Decision states in particular that, where a draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe is submitted to a vote within the appropriate bodies of the UN/ECE, the draft concerned must be approved by the Council, after having received the assent of the European Parliament, before the Community can vote in favour of adopting such a draft Regulation. The provision agenda for the 120th meeting of the Working Party on Vehicle Construction of the UN/ECE (to be held from 7 to 10 March 2000) includes in particular a vote on a draft (new) Regulation concerning the approval of an airbag module for a replacement airbag system, a replacement steering wheel equipped with an airbag module of an approved type and a replacement airbag system other than that installed in a steering wheel. The aim of the Regulation is in particular to abolish the technical barriers to trade in motor vehicles between the Contracting Parties, while ensuring a high level of safety and environmental protection. It is also planned that the Regulation will be incorporated in the system for the type-approval of vehicles and will therefore supplement the Community legislation in force. Against this background, the purpose of the proposal for a Decision is to enable the Commission representative to vote on behalf of the Community on the draft Regulation in question at the 120th meeting of the Working Party on Vehicle Construction of the UN/ECE or, where appropriate, if it is submitted for voting at a subsequent meeting.�