Proposal for a Council Decision on the position of the Community in relation to the draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the approval of motor vehicles with regard to the forward field of vision of the motor vehicle driver
Date: 2006-03-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Ecosoc, accession to an agreement, motor vehicle, safety device, technical rule, vehicle parts

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 20.03.2006 
COM(2006) 127 final 

2006/0041 (AVC) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the position of the Community in relation to the draft Regulation of the United 
Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the approval of motor vehicles 
with regard to the forward field of vision of the motor vehicle driver 

(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 
concerning  the  approval  of  motor  vehicles  with  regard  to  the  forward  field  of  vision  of  the 
driver.  

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 to the driver. Specifically, the draft 
regulation will enable to ensure an adequate field of vision through the windscreen and other 
glazing. The Commission therefore considers that it would be desirable for the EC to vote in 
favour of this (new) draft Regulation. 

It is also provided that this draft Regulation shall become part of the type-approval system for 
motor vehicles because the scope of the Council Directive 77/649/EC, as last amended by the 
Commission Directive 90/630/EC is similar to the one of this draft Regulation. 

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  concerning  the  approval  of  motor  vehicles  with  regard  to  the  forward  field  of 
vision  of  the  driver  on  behalf  of  the  Community  at  a  forthcoming  meeting  of  the  UN/ECE 
World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations. 

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2006/0041 (AVC) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the position of the Community in relation to the draft Regulation of the United 
Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the approval of motor vehicles 
with regard to the forward field of vision of the motor vehicle driver 

(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, 
in particular the second indent of Article 4(2), thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal of the Commission2, 

Having regard to the assent of the European Parliament3, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

The  draft  Regulation  of  the  United  Nations  Economic  Commission  for  Europe 
concerning the approval of motor vehicles with regard to the forward field of vision of 
the  driver4  provides  for  the  abolition  of  the  technical  barriers  to  the  trade  of  motor 
vehicles between the Contracting Parties with respect to these aspects, while ensuring 
a high level of safety. 

It  is  appropriate  to  define  the  Community's  position  with  regard  to  the  said  draft 
Regulation  and  consequently  to  provide  for  the  Community,  represented  by  the 
Commission, to vote in favour of the draft. 

1 
2 
3 
4 

OJ L 346 17.12.1997, p. 78. 
OJ C. .[simply insert the date without ‘of’] ., p. . 
OJ C. . ., p. . 
UN/ECE Document TRANS/WP.29/2005/82 

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(3) 

The draft Regulation should become part of the Community type-approval system for 
motor vehicles because the scope of Council Directive 77/649/EC, as last amended by 
the Commission Directive 90/630/EC is similar to the one of this draft Regulation. 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

Article 1 

The  draft  Regulation  of  the  United  Nations  Economic  Commission  for  Europe  (UN/ECE) 
concerning  the  approval  of  motor  vehicles  with  regard  to  the  forward  field  of  vision  of  the 
motor vehicle driver, as contained in document TRANS/WP.29/2005/82 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 at a forthcoming meeting of the Administrative Committee 
of the UN/ECE World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations. 

Article 3 

The  UN/ECE  Regulation  concerning  the  approval  of  motor  vehicles  with  regard  to  the 
forward field of vision of the motor vehicle driver shall become part of the Community type-
approval system for motor vehicles. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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