Car industry: wheels for passenger cars and their trailers, UN/ECE Regulation

PURPOSE : to enable the Commission to vote, on behalf of the EC, on the draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on wheels for passenger cars and their trailers.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Decision.

CONTENT : by Council Decision 97/836/EC, the EC became a Contracting Party to the 1958 Revised Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE). That Decision took effect on 24 March 1998. Article 4 of that Decision stipulates that where a draft Regulation of the UN/ECE is submitted to a vote within the appropriate UN/ECE bodies, the draft in question must be approved by the Council, after obtaining assent from the European Parliament, before the Community can declare itself in favour of adopting the draft.

The agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations of the UN/ECE will include, in particular, a vote on a (new) draft Regulation on wheels for passenger cars and their trailers. The main purpose of the draft Regulation is to establish harmonised technical prescriptions, thereby avoiding the creation of technical barriers to trade in motor vehicles between the

Contracting Parties, while ensuring a high level of safety and environmental protection.

The EC's position at the time of the vote will be based on documents available in the official languages of the UN/ECE (French and English). As the EC has become party to the 1958 UN/ECE agreement, it is required to observe the procedures provided for in that agreement.

This Decision will enable the Commission representative to vote on the draft Regulation on behalf of the Community at a forthcoming meeting of the UN/ECE World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations.