Proposal for a Council Decision on the position of the European Community on the draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the approval of uniform provisions concerning the approval of (i) Specific LPG retrofit systems to be installed in motor vehicles for the use of LPG in their propulsion system (ii) Specific CNG retrofit systems to be installed in motor vehicles for the use of CNG in their propulsion system (COM(2002) 567 final — 2002/0248(AVC))
Date: 2003-03-25
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Europe, UNO, approval, approximation of laws, motor fuel, motor vehicle, technical regulations, vehicle parts

25.3.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 71 E/3

Proposal for a Council Decision on the position of the European Community on the draft Regu-
lation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the approval of
uniform provisions concerning the approval of (i) Specific LPG retrofit systems to be installed
in motor vehicles for the use of LPG in their propulsion system (ii) Specific CNG retrofit systems
to be installed in motor vehicles for the use of CNG in their propulsion system

(2003/C 71 E/02)

COM(2002) 567 final — 2002/0248(AVC)

(Submitted by the Commission on 23 October 2002)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1. General

By Council Decision 97/836/EC of 27 November 1997, the European Community became a Contracting
Party to the 1958 Revised Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE)
on 24 March 1998.

Article 4 of that Decision states in particular that, where a draft Regulation of the United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe is submitted to a vote within the appropriate bodies of the UN/ECE,
the draft concerned must be approved by the Council, after having received the assent of the European
Parliament, before the Community can vote in favour of adopting such a draft Regulation.

The provisional agenda for the 128th meeting of the World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regu-
lations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (to be held from 12 to 15 November
2002) includes in particular a vote on a draft (new) Regulation concerning the approval of uniform
provisions concerning the approval of (i) specific LPG retrofit systems to be installed in motor vehicles
for the use of LPG in their propulsion system; (ii) specific CNG retrofit systems to be installed in motor
vehicles for the use of CNG in their propulsion system.

The aim of the Regulation is in particular to abolish the technical barriers to trade in motor vehicles
between the Contracting Parties, while ensuring a high level of safety and environmental protection.

It should be stressed that the position of the EC at the time of the vote will be taken on the basis of the
documents available in the official languages of the UN/ECE (French and English). Indeed, the EC having
become a Contracting Party to the 1958 Revised Agreement of the UN/ECE is required to observe the
procedures envisaged in the aforementioned agreement.

In conformity with the requirements of Article 4 (5) of Decision 97/836/EC, the Regulation will be
published in all the official languages of the Communities in the Official Journal before entering into
force within the Community.

2. Contents of the proposal for a Decision

The purpose of the proposal for a Decision is to enable the Commission representative to vote on behalf of
the Community on the draft Regulation in question at a future meeting of the World Forum for Harmon-
isation of Vehicle Regulations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

for wheeled vehicles,

for Europe concerning the adoption of uniform technical
prescriptions
and parts
which can be fitted to and/or be used on wheeled vehicles
and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals
granted on the basis of these prescriptions (1),
in particular
the second indent of Article 4(2) thereof,

equipment

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 Economic Commission

(1) OJ L 346, 17.12.1997, p. 78.

C 71 E/4

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

25.3.2003

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Having regard to the assent of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

(1) The provisions of the draft Regulation on the approval of
uniform provisions concerning the approval of (i) specific
LPG retrofit systems to be installed in motor vehicles for
the use of LPG in their propulsion system; (ii) specific CNG
retrofit systems to be installed in motor vehicles for the use
of CNG in their propulsion system, will abolish the
technical barriers to trade in motor vehicles between the
Contracting Parties as regards these components, whilst
safety and environmental
ensuring a high level of
protection.

(2) The said Regulation will not be incorporated into the
type-approval of motor

the

Community system for
vehicles,

Sole Article

The European Community shall vote in favour of the draft
UN/ECE Regulation concerning the approval of uniform
provisions concerning the approval of (i) specific LPG retrofit
systems to be installed in motor vehicles for the use of LPG in
their propulsion system; (ii) specific CNG retrofit systems to be
the use of CNG in their
installed in motor vehicles for
propulsion system,
in document TRANS/
set out
WP.29/2000/42, during the vote at the meeting of the Admin-
istrative Committee on the occasion of a future meeting of the
World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations of the
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

as

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.