Proposal for a Council Decision on the position of the European Community in relation to the draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on the uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with regard to the location and identification of hand controls, tell-tales and indicators
Date: 2004-07-01
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Ecosoc, approval, harmonisation of standards, international standard, vehicle parts

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 1.7.2004 
COM(2004) 449 final 

2004/0134 (AVC) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the position of the European Community in relation to the draft Regulation of the 
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on the uniform provisions concerning 
the approval of vehicles with regard to the location and identification of hand controls, 
tell-tales and indicators 

(presented by the Commission) 

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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 will include, in particular, a vote on a (new) draft Regulation on 
uniform  provisions  concerning  the  approval  of  vehicles  with  regard  to  the  location  and 
identification of hand controls, tell-tales and indicators. 

The main purpose of the draft 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. 

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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2004/0134 (AVC) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the position of the European Community in relation to the draft Regulation of the 
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on the uniform provisions concerning 
the approval of vehicles with regard to the location and identification of hand controls, 
tell-tales and indicators 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

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 assent of the European Parliament3, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

The draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on the 
uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with regard to the location and 
identification  of  hand  controls,  tell-tales  and  indicators  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. 

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

The said draft Regulation should 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  uniform  provisions  concerning  the  approval  of  vehicles  with  regard  to  the  location  and 
identification  of  hand  controls,  tell-tales  and  indicators,  as  contained  in  document 
TRANS/WP.29/2002/67, 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  on  the  uniform  provisions  concerning  the  approval  of  vehicles  with 
regard  to  the  location  and  identification  of  hand  controls,  tell-tales  and  indicators,  shall  be 
incorporated into the Community type-approval system for motor vehicles. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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