[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 12 (Thursday, January 18, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4893-4894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-1527]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-00-7638; Notice 2]


Recommendations for Establishing Global Technical Regulations 
Under the United Nations/Economic Commission for Europe 1998 Global 
Agreement; Motor Vehicle Safety

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: NHTSA's recommendations to WP.29 for regulations to be 
considered under the 1998 Global Agreement.

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SUMMARY: In July 2000, NHTSA published a notice seeking comments on its 
preliminary recommendations for the first motor vehicle safety 
technical regulations to be considered for establishment under the 
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe 1998 Global Agreement. 
NHTSA has reviewed and considered all public comments submitted in 
response to the notice and has prepared final recommendations to 
present to the World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations 
(WP.29) at the March 2001 meeting in Geneva. NHTSA will use the 
recommendations in deliberating with other Contracting Parties 
concerning the adoption of a program of work under the 1998 Global 
Agreement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical and policy issues: Ms. 
Julie Abraham, Director, Office of International Policy and 
Harmonization, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 
Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: (202) 366-2114. 
Fax: (202) 366-2559.
    For legal issues: Nancy Bell, Attorney Advisor, Office of the Chief 
Counsel, NCC-20, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 
Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: (202) 366-2992. 
Fax: (202) 366-3820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: You may read the materials placed in Docket 
No. NHTSA-00-7638 (e.g., the comments submitted in response to the 
request for comments by other interested persons) by visiting the 
address: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC, 20590. The hours of the Docket Management System (DMS) 
are indicated above in the same location. Alternatively, you may read 
the materials electronically on the Internet. To do so, take the 
following steps:
    (1) Go to the Web page of the Department of Transportation DMS 
(http://dms.dot.gov/).
    (2) On that page, click on ``search'' near the top of the page or 
scroll down to the words ``Search the DMS Web'' and click on them.
    (3) On the next page (http://dms.dot.gov/search/), scroll down to 
``Docket Number'' and type in the four-digit docket number (7638) shown 
in the title at the beginning of this notice. After typing the docket 
number, click on ``search.''
    (4) On the next page (``Docket Summary Information''), which 
contains docket summary information for the materials in the docket you 
selected, scroll down to ``search results'' and click on the desired 
materials. You may download the materials.

Table of Contents

I. Background
II. NHTSA's Final Recommendations to WP.29
A. Consideration of Comments
B. Recommended Priorities
III. Future Actions

I. Background

    The U.S. became a signatory to the United Nations/Economic 
Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) Agreement Concerning the Establishment 
of Global and Technical Regulations for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and 
Parts Which Can Be Fitted And/or Be Used On Wheeled Vehicles (the 
``1998 Global Agreement'') in June 1998. The 1998 Global Agreement, 
which entered into force on August 25, 2000, provides for the 
establishment of global technical regulations regarding the safety, 
emissions, energy conservation and theft prevention of wheeled 
vehicles, equipment and parts.\1\ The Agreement contains procedures for 
establishing global technical regulations by either harmonizing 
existing regulations or developing a new regulation.
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    \1\ The covered equipment and parts inside, but are not limited 
to, exhaust systems, tires, engines, acoustic shields, anti-theft 
alarms, warning devices and child restraint systems.
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    On July 18, 2000, in anticipation of the entry into force of the 
1998 Global Agreement, NHTSA published a notice to obtain public 
comments on a list of preliminary recommendations of standards or 
aspects of standards for consideration by Contracting Parties in 
prioritizing the development and establishment of global technical 
regulations under the 1998 Global Agreement. (65 Fed. Reg. 44565) In 
that notice, NHTSA placed its recommendations into two categories based 
on available information and analysis concerning the relative level of 
stringency and benefits of U.S. and foreign standards. The first 
category, the ``Priority Recommendations,'' included some foreign 
standards or aspects of those standards that may represent best safety 
practices among existing national and regional regulations and that may 
lead to the improvement of vehicle safety in the U.S. NHTSA stated 
that, in allocating agency resources among the priority recommendation, 
it will give priority to the recommendations in this category. The 
second category, the ``Other Recommendations,'' included U.S. standards 
or aspects of standards that may represent best current safety 
practices and that may lead to improvement of vehicle safety worldwide. 
NHTSA believes that the standards in this category should obtain 
international review and feedback and be considered in the 
establishment of global technical regulations under the 1998 Global 
Agreement.
    In addition to the above mentioned categories, the notice also 
noted the suggestions that had been received by the United Nations' 
Economic Commission for Europe World Forum for Development of Global 
Technical Regulations (WP.29) from the governments of Japan and the 
Russian Federation and various industry and consumer groups. These 
suggestions are posted in the NHTSA docket (NHTSA-00-7638).
    In response to NHTSA's request for suggestions for changes to its 
preliminary recommendations, the agency received comments from 
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Alliance of Automobile 
Manufacturers, Flat Glass Manufacturers Association of Japan, Honda, 
the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), 
the Rubber Manufacturers Association, and Toyota.

II. NHTSA's Final Recommendations to WP.29

A. Consideration of Comments

    NHTSA has reviewed the comments submitted in response to the July 
2000 notice. In addition, NHTSA has

[[Page 4894]]

reviewed the suggestions that had been submitted by the governments of 
Japan and the Russian Federation and various industry and consumer 
groups to WP.29. These suggestions have been placed in the docket for 
the request for comments (NHTSA-00-7638).
    The majority of those who commented on NHTSA's approach to priority 
setting indicated that they support NHTSA's approach in principle, but 
believe that modifications are needed. The reasons for these 
modifications included: (1) The need to continue work on standards for 
which resources already have been expended and considerable progress 
has been made; (2) the need to select regulations that are easier to 
harmonize from both the technical and the political points of view; (3) 
the need to include regulations that have been harmonized between 
Europe and Japan (under the 1958 Agreement); (4) cost-savings to 
industry and consumers; (5) the list of specific standards under each 
category is not comprehensive or includes subjects that ought to be 
removed because of the lack of a clear association with the category; 
and (6) harmonizing specific aspects of standards is not sufficient.
    In response to the comments, NHTSA wishes to clarify its approach 
to priority setting. NHTSA's statutory mission, and thus the focus of 
its rulemaking activities, is improving vehicle safety. Accordingly, 
NHTSA must continue to focus its resources on those standards that 
improve motor vehicle safety in the U.S.
    However, the agency also devotes considerable effort to refining 
and updating its standards to permit technological innovation, avoid 
imposing unnecessary regulatory burdens, and improve regulatory 
effectiveness. Accordingly, NHTSA recognizes the merit in including 
other standards in the work of WP.29. NHTSA agrees that consideration 
should be given to including some standards based on the fact that 
harmonization work is already underway and progress has been made on 
them. NHTSA itself has already spent considerable resources on some of 
these standards. With the expenditure of limited additional resources, 
NHTSA can work with other contracting parties toward their 
establishment as global technical regulations. NHTSA will also continue 
to collaborate with other contracting parties to the 1998 Global 
Agreement on standards of importance to those contracting parties. In 
addition, NHTSA agrees with including some standards on the basis that 
it may be easy to harmonize them. NHTSA believes that working on those 
standards will help the U.S. and other contracting parties gain 
experience with the process of the 1998 Global Agreement.

B. Recommended Priorities

    NHTSA's recommended priorities are largely unchanged. However, 
NHTSA has decided to reorganize its recommendations according to the 
subject matter responsibilities of the WP.29 Working Parties of Experts 
to examine their potential impact on the workload for each of the 
Working Parties. Upon reviewing its preliminary recommendations and the 
specific standards that were recommended by other contracting parties, 
interest groups or commenters for each of the Working Parties of 
Experts, NHTSA found that the majority of the standards would be 
assigned to the Working Party on Passive Safety (GRSP). Therefore, in 
the interest of promoting a manageable workload, the agency has decided 
to defer some of its recommendations. In addition, based on the 
considerations discussed above, NHTSA added Motorcycle Brakes to its 
list of recommendations for the Working Party on Brakes and Running 
Gear (GRRF).
    NHTSA's final recommendations to WP.29 are categorized below 
according to the Working Parties of Experts. These recommendations 
focus on standards that NHTSA believes could be productively worked on 
in the immediate future. NHTSA will continue to work on several long 
term projects that are currently underway in NHTSA and are also being 
coordinated in the International Harmonized Research Activities (IHRA). 
NHTSA will also reevaluate the list set out below on a regular basis to 
assess whether a revision is merited.
    In announcing its final recommendations, NHTSA wants to reaffirm 
its commitment to achieving the goals of the National Traffic and Motor 
Vehicle Safety Act. Further, the agency cautions that its 
recommendations to WP.29 under the 1998 Global Agreement should not be 
confused with its more inclusive list of rulemaking activities under 
the Vehicle Safety Act.
    NHTSA's final recommendations to be submitted to WP.29 at the March 
2001 meeting.
1. Working Party on Passive Safety
    Head restraints
    Lower anchorages and tethers for child safety seats
    Door retention components
    Dummies (10 year old frontal dummy and 50th percentile side impact 
dummy)
    Frontal impact (full/offset) protection
2. Working Party on Brakes and Running Gears
    Tires
    Motorcycle brakes
3. Working Party on Lighting and Light-Signaling
    Signal lamp visibility
4. Working Party on General Safety
    Windshield wipers and washers
    Controls and displays
    Vehicle classification

III. Future Actions

    At the March 2001 meeting in Geneva, NHTSA will use its final 
recommendations in deliberating with the other Contracting Parties to 
the 1998 Global Agreement about a program of work for the Working 
Parties of Experts. NHTSA will report to the public on the final 
outcome of the deliberations after that meeting.

    Issued on January 12, 2001.
Rosalyn G. Millman,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-1527 Filed 1-17-01; 8:45 am]
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