Strategies to Assist Economies to Integrate into

UNECE Framework for Vehicle Regulation

#2Peter Robertson

General Manager, Vehicle Safety StandardsAustralia

At previous meetings…

• Considered four issues for moving forward

1. Work programs to harmonise motorcycle regulations and basic vehicle regulations on ECE or GTRs where available

2. Clarification of information requirements to participate in WP29

3. Identify assistance required to participate in JASIC experts group

4. Identify information that needs to flow from WP29 to VSHG

Request for…

• More information on 1958 Agreement and 1998 Agreement and

• Options for participation

WP 29

• 1959 Agreement entered into force on 20 June 1959

• Several European countries• Progressively attracted interest from non-

European countries• Japan first non-European country to accede to

the Agreement (1998)• Followed by Australia (2000), South Africa

(2001), New Zealand (2002)

WP 29 (cont;)

• 1998 Agreement concluded on 25 June 1998-entered into force on 25 August 2000

• Enables countries to engage in international rule-making without having to assume the obligations, including mutual recognition of the 1958 Agreement

• WP29 has global status within the United Nations• Proposed by Japan in 2000 to become World Forum for

Harmonization of Vehicle Standards

WP 29 Sub Groups

• GRPE (Pollution and Energy)• GRSG (General Safety)• GRRF (Brakes and Running Gear)• GRE (Lighting and Light Signalling)• GRSP (Passive Safety)• GRB (Noise)• Informal groups formed under working groups

to explore specific issues

WP 29 Participation

• Meetings are public – anyone can attend as an observer

• UN Members may participate fully or in a consultative capacity and may become contracting parties to the agreements administered by WP 29

• Regional Economic Integration Organisations set up by UN member countries may also participate fully

Signing Agreements

• Must be signed by a head of state, head of Government or Minister for Foreign Affairs

• At the time of signing, it must be expressly indicated if the signature is definitive or subject to ratification

• Do not have to be bound by all regulations on signing the agreement(s)

1958 Agreement

• Administrative Committee 1 (AC1) comprises all contracting parties

• Does not preclude self-certification countries• New regulations and amendments to existing

regulations require a two-thirds majority• New regulations and amendments to existing

regulations enter into force within six months after notification unless a contracting party notifies the Secretary-General of their objection within that time

• If more than one-third of contracting parties so nominate, the regulations do not enter into force for any contracting party

1958 Agreement (cont;)

• Do not have to apply regulations on signing• Once a contracting party has applied a regulation, it

may grant type approvals for motor vehicle equipment and parts covered by that regulation and must accept the type approval of another contracting party that has applied the regulation

• Can apply a regulation, upon notice, at any time• Can cease application of a regulation upon one years’

notification to the Secretary-General

1958 Agreement (cont;)

• Contracting parties granting type approvals must have technical competence to do so and to ensure conformity of production

• A contracting party applying regulation may refuse an approval if the issuing party is not competent

1958 Agreement (cont;)

• Anyone may attend as an observer• UN members may attend as participants• UN members may accede to the Agreement• Do not have to apply regulations on signing• May apply regulations but do not have to issue type

approvals (unless competent to do so)• If regulations not applied, may vote on new regulations

but not an amendment to existing regulations not applied

1958 Agreement (cont;)

• If regulations applied, must accept type approvals issued by the other contracting parties who have applied the regulation (subject to dispute provision)

• Can take any UNECE regulation into domestic legislation without signing the agreement or applying regulations

1998 Agreement

• Open to UN members to accede• Creates “Global Technical Regulations”• GTRs may be established by two routes: ~ harmonisation of existing regulations or

standards ~ establishing new GTR where no regulations

or standards exist

1998 Agreement (cont;)

• Existing regulations needing harmonisation may be entered in the Compendium of Candidate Global Regulations

• A regulation is added to the Compendium if supported by a vote of one-third of the contracting parties present and voting, including the vote of either Japan, the European Community or the USA

1998 Agreement GTRs

• Need to assess technical and economic flexibility• Comparative evaluation of potential benefits and cost

effectiveness of alternative regulatory requirements• Test methods by which compliance is to be

demonstrated• Must be a unanimous vote to establish a GTR – ie one

disserting vote will cause the proposal to fail

GTRs

• A contracting party that votes for a GTR must submit the GTR to its own domestic rulemaking process

• Certain alternative levels of stringency for developing economics

• Notification requirements apply on the status of adopting regulations into domestic law and on accepting products where the GTR is not adopted into domestic law

GTRs and UNECE Regulations

• Can accept product without signing agreement or mandating regulations in domestic law

• Can mandate a lower standard in domestic law ….. accept international regulation

• Basic principal is ‘acceptance’

Discussion