EN    EN  COMMISSION OF THE E UROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 28.01.2005 
COM(2005) 19 final 
2005/0002 (AVC)   
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
on the accession of the Community to Unit ed Nations Economic Commission for Europe 
Regulation No. 55 on provisions concernin g the approval of mechanical coupling 
components of combinations of vehicles 
  
(presented by the Commission) 
 
EN 2   EN EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM  
1. G ENERAL  
By Council Decision 97/836/EC of 27 November 1997, the EC became a contracting party to 
the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's (UN/ECE's) Revised 1958 
Agreement on 24 March 1998 and acceded to 78 re gulations appended to that Agreement. 
That Decision took effect on 24 March 1998. 
Article 3(3) of that Decision states, in pa rticular, that the Commu nity may decide to 
implement a regulation to which it had not acceded  when it acceded to the revised Agreement 
if the Council approves that regulation by a qualif ied majority after re ceiving the assent of 
the EP. 
UN/ECE Regulation No. 55 on provisions concer ning the approval of mechanical coupling 
components of combinations of vehicles is aime d, in particular, at re moving technical barriers 
to the trade in motor vehicles between the c ontracting parties while ensuring a high level of 
safety in the operation of vehicles. Although th is Regulation was not included in the list of 
regulations recognised by the EC contained in Annex II  to Decision 97/836/EC, the 
Commission considers that, as both European and UN requirement s have changed since that 
time, it would now be desirable for the EC to accede thereto. 
It is also provided that the Regulation concerned shall be in corporated into the approval 
system for motor vehicles. 
It should be stressed that the EC will take it s decision regarding acce ssion to this Regulation 
on the basis of the documents that are availa ble in the official languages of the UN/ECE 
(English, French and Russian). As the EC ha s become party to the 1958 UN/ECE agreement, 
it is required to observe the procedures provided for in that agreement. Therefore only the French and English versions of  Regulation No. 55 have been a ppended. Translations of this 
Regulation will be published at a later date. 
2. C
ONTENTS OF THE PROPOSAL FOR A DECISION  
The purpose of the proposal for a decision is  to enable the Community to accede to UN/ECE 
Regulation No. 55 on provisions concerning the approval of m echanical coupling components 
of combinations of vehicles. 
 
EN 3   EN 2005/0002 (AVC) 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
on the accession of the Community to Unit ed Nations Economic Commission for Europe 
Regulation No. 55 on provisions concernin g the approval of mechanical coupling 
components of combinations of vehicles 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty esta blishing the European Community, 
Having regard to Council Decision 97/836/EC of 27 November 1997 with a view to accession by 
the European Community to the Agreement of  the United Nations Ec onomic Commission for 
Europe concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted to and/or be used on wh eeled vehicles and the conditions 
for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescr iptions (“Revised 1958 
Agreement”)
1, and in particular Article 3(3) and the second indent of Article 4(2), thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the assent of the European Parliament
2, 
Whereas: (1) The standardised requirements of Regul ation No. 55 on provisions concerning the 
approval of mechanical coupling components of  combinations of ve hicles are intended 
to remove technical barriers to the trade in motor vehicles between the Contracting 
Parties and to ensure a high level of safety  and protection in the operation of vehicles. 
(2) Regulation No. 55 was not included in Annex II of C ouncil Decision 97/836/EC as it 
did not comport with Community  technical requirements a nd specifications at the time 
of Community accession to the Revised 1958 Agreement. 
(3) In light of subsequent amendments, Regulation No. 55
3 should be incorporated into 
the Community system for the t ype approval of motor vehicles. 
                                                 
1 OJ L 346 of 17.12.1997, p. 78. 
2 OJ C, , p. . 
3 UN Document E/ECE/324, E/ECE/TRANS/505, Rev. 1/Add. 54/Rev.1, and Corrigendum no.1 
 
EN 4   EN HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 
Article 1 
1. The Community shall apply Regulation No. 55 of the United Nations Economic 
Commission for Europe on provisions co ncerning the approval of mechanical 
coupling components of combinations of vehicles  
2. The text of the Regulation is  attached to this Decision. 
Article 2 
Regulation No. 55 of the Unite d Nations Economic Commissi on for Europe on provisions 
concerning the approval of mechanical coupling components of combinations of vehicles 
shall be incorporated into the Community  type-approval system for motor vehicles. 
Article 3 
The Commission shall notify the Secretary-Genera l of the United Nations of this Decision. 
Done at Brussels,  
 For the Council 
 The President