Proposal for a Council Decision on the accession of the Community to United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Regulation No. 55 on provisions concerning the approval of mechanical coupling components of combinations of vehicles
Date: 2005-01-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Ecosoc, accession to an agreement, approximation of laws, motor vehicle, technical regulations, vehicle parts

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 28.01.2005 
COM(2005) 19 final 

2005/0002 (AVC) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the accession of the Community to United Nations Economic Commission for Europe 
Regulation No. 55 on provisions concerning the approval of mechanical coupling 
components of combinations of vehicles 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

GENERAL 

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  regulations  appended  to  that  Agreement. 
That Decision took effect on 24 March 1998. 

Article  3(3)  of  that  Decision  states,  in  particular,  that  the  Community  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  qualified  majority  after  receiving  the  assent  of 
the EP. 

UN/ECE  Regulation  No.  55  on  provisions  concerning  the  approval  of  mechanical  coupling 
components of combinations of vehicles is aimed, in particular, at removing technical barriers 
to the trade in motor vehicles between the contracting parties while ensuring a high level of 
safety  in  the  operation  of  vehicles.  Although  this  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 requirements 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  incorporated  into  the  approval 
system for motor vehicles. 

It should be stressed that the EC will take its decision regarding accession to this Regulation 
on  the  basis  of  the  documents  that  are  available  in  the  official  languages  of  the  UN/ECE 
(English, French and Russian). As the EC has 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 appended. Translations of this 
Regulation will be published at a later date. 

2. 

CONTENTS 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 mechanical coupling components 
of combinations of vehicles. 

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2005/0002 (AVC) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the accession of the Community to United Nations Economic Commission for Europe 
Regulation No. 55 on provisions concerning 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 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 to and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions 
for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions (“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 Parliament2, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

The  standardised  requirements  of  Regulation  No.  55  on  provisions  concerning  the 
approval of mechanical coupling components of combinations of vehicles 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. 

Regulation No. 55 was not included in Annex II of Council Decision 97/836/EC as it 
did not comport with Community technical requirements and specifications at the time 
of Community accession to the Revised 1958 Agreement. 

In  light  of  subsequent  amendments,  Regulation  No.  553  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, , p. . 
UN Document E/ECE/324, E/ECE/TRANS/505, Rev. 1/Add. 54/Rev.1, and Corrigendum no.1 

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HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

Article 1 

1. 

The  Community  shall  apply  Regulation  No.  55  of  the  United  Nations  Economic 
Commission  for  Europe  on  provisions  concerning  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  United  Nations  Economic  Commission  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-General of the United Nations of this Decision. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

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