CELEX: 52005PC0019
Language: en
Date: 2005-01-28
Title: 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

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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 ---pagebreak---                                 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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 ---pagebreak---                                                              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)     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.
   (2)     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.
   (3)     In light of subsequent amendments, Regulation No. 553 should be incorporated into
           the Community system for the type approval of motor vehicles.
   1
           OJ L 346 of 17.12.1997, p. 78.
   2
           OJ C, , p. .
   3
           UN Document E/ECE/324, E/ECE/TRANS/505, Rev. 1/Add. 54/Rev.1, and Corrigendum no.1
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 ---pagebreak---    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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