WRITTEN QUESTION E-0383/00

by Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 February 2000)

Subject: Adaptation to technical progress of motor vehicles

The accession of the European Community, by decision of the Council, to the agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on the adoption of technical specifications for motor vehicles (more commonly known as the Revised 1958 Agreement) was a decisive step towards the stated firm political commitment to eliminating technical trade barriers within the European Union.

However, inexplicably, the accession was not total, since the act of accession did not incorporate all of the regulations listed in the annex of the agreement on the date of signing (27 November 1997). This situation, combined with the fact that the number of regulations has increased since then, means that there has not been full adaptation to technical progress in this sector.

Does the Commission intend to complete this list by the end of 2000 in order to incorporate in the act of accession all those regulations contained in the Revised 1958 Agreement which are currently outstanding?

Is there any legal or technical obstacle to full incorporation?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(29 March 2000)

With the adoption of Council Decision 97/836/EC of 27 November 1997, the Community has become a Contracting Party to the United Nations' Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) Revised 1958 Agreement on 24 March 1998. At the date of its accession to this Agreement, the Community has restricted its accession to the recognition of 78 Regulations annexed to it.

It has been agreed that UN-ECE Regulations which are binding on the Community are to be published in the Official journal before their entry into force. In the meantime, the Member States accept approvals even when granted by other Contracting Parties and grant approvals according to these Regulations.

Ever since the Community's accession to the UN-ECE 1958 Revised Agreement the number of Regulations has remained unchanged. In order for new UN-ECE Regulations to be adopted, the Council, on a proposal from the Commission and after the assent of the Parliament, has to approve them first. Several new draft UN-ECE Regulations are currently being examined by the Council with the intention of having them recognized by the Community. It should also be recalled that the Parliament has already given its assent to two of them.

With regard to existing UN-ECE Regulations which have not been recognized by the Community at the time of its accession to the Revised 1958 UN-ECE Agreement it should be underlined that the Commission intends to gradually submit proposals to the Council and to the European Parliament, aimed at the Community's adhesion to the remaining Regulations. At the time of its adhesion to the UN-ECE 1958 Revised Agreement, the Community in fact considered these remaining 31 Regulations first needed to be adapted to technical progress by UN-ECE before the Community could adhere to them. This adaptation is currently being processed by UN-ECE working groups. As soon as this work is finalised, the Commission will table the appropriate proposals.

It should also be underlined that the Community has played an active role in the UN-ECE decision making process with regard to the amendment of UN-ECE Regulations to which it has adhered. Thus, between November 1998 and October 1999, the Community has accepted some thirty amendments to UN-ECE Regulations it has recognized.

For reasons of transparency, the Commission will examine the possibility to establish a register showing the actual state of application of UN-ECE Regulations by the Community.