Proposal for a Council Decision on the position of the European Community on the draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on uniform prescriptions concerning the type approval of tyres with respect to tyre rolling noise
Date: 2003-10-24
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: approval, harmonisation of standards, motor vehicle, pneumatic tyre, technical specification

EN

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 24.10.2003
COM(2003) 635 final

2003/0254 (AVC)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the position of the European Community on the draft Regulation of the United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe on uniform prescriptions concerning the type
approval of tyres with respect to tyre rolling noise

(presented by the Commission)

 
 
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). That Decision took effect on 24 March 1998.

Article 4 of that Decision stipulates, inter alia, that where a draft Regulation of the UN/ECE
is submitted  to  a vote within  the appropriate UN/ECE bodies,  the draft in  question  must  be
approved  by  the  Council,  after  obtaining  assent  from  the  European  Parliament,  before  the
Community can declare itself in favour of adopting the draft.

The  agenda  of  a  forthcoming  meeting  of  the  World  Forum  for  Harmonisation  of  Vehicle
Regulations  of  the  UN/ECE  includes,  in  particular,  a  vote  on  a  (new)  draft  Regulation  on
uniform prescriptions concerning the type approval of tyres with respect to tyre rolling noise.

The  main  purpose  of  the  Regulation  is  to  establish  harmonised  technical  prescriptions,
thereby  avoiding  the  creation  of  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 EC's position at the time of the vote will be based on documents
available  in  the  official  languages  of  the  UN/ECE  (French  and  English).  As  the  EC  has
become  party  to  the  1958  UN/ECE  agreement,  it  is  required  to  observe  the  procedures
provided for in that agreement.

In conformity with the provisions 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  of  the
European Union before coming into force.

2.

CONTENT OF THE PROPOSAL FOR A DECISION

The purpose of the proposal is to enable the Commission representative to vote on the draft
Regulation on behalf of the Community at a forthcoming meeting of the UN/ECE World
Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations.

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2003/0254 (AVC)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the position of the European Community on the draft Regulation of the United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe on uniform prescriptions concerning the type
approval of tyres with respect to tyre rolling noise

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing 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 Economic Commission
for Europe  concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles,
equipment  and  parts  which  can  be  fitted  and/or  be  used  on  wheeled  vehicles  and  the
conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions1,
particularly Article 4(2), second indent, thereof,

Having regard to the proposal of the Commission2,

Having regard to the favourable opinion of the European Parliament3,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

The  draft  Regulation  of  the  United  Nations  Economic  Commission  for  Europe
concerning the  approval  of  uniform  prescriptions  for  the  type  approval  of  tyres  with
respect  to  tyre  rolling  noise  will  abolish  the  technical  barriers  to  the  trade  of  motor
vehicles  between  the  Contracting  Parties  with  respect  to  these  components,  while
ensuring a high level of safety and environmental protection.

It  is  appropriate  to  define  the  Community's  position  with  regard  to  the  said  draft
Regulation.

The said Regulation will not be incorporated into the Community system for the type-
approval of motor vehicles,

1

2

3

OJ L 346 of 17.12.1997, p. 78.
OJ C. .of. ., p. .
OJ C. .of. ., p. .

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HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) on
the approval of uniform technical prescriptions for the type approval of tyres with respect to
tyre  rolling  noise,  as  contained  in  document  TRANS/WP.29/2002/7/Rev.1,  is  hereby
approved.

Article 2

The Community,  represented by the Commission,  shall vote in favour of the  draft UN/ECE
Regulation referred to in Article 1 in the vote which will take place during a meeting of the
Administrative  Committee  at  a  forthcoming  meeting  of  the  UN/ECE  World  Forum  for
Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations.

Article 3

Regulation UN/ECE concerning the approval of uniform technical prescriptions for the type
approval  of  tyres  with  respect  to  tyre  rolling  noise,  will  not  be  incorporated  into  the
Community type-approval system for motor vehicles.

Done at Brussels,

For the Council
The President

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