Global technical harmonisation of vehicles
SUMMARY OF:
Decision 97/836/EC — 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’)
Decision 2000/125/EC — conclusion of the Agreement concerning the establishing of global technical regulations for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or be used on wheeled vehicles (‘Parallel Agreement’)
Agreement concerning the establishing of global technical regulations for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or be used on wheeled vehicles
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISIONS?
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Decision 97/836/EC authorises the EU to become a member of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE)’s 1958 agreement harmonising technical standards for wheeled vehicles*, their equipment and parts. The aim is to remove technical barriers to trade in motor vehicles between countries signed up to the agreement.
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Decision 2000/125/EC gives the EU’s approval to a parallel agreement, finalised in June 1998. Its aim is to establish global technical regulations on the safety, environmental protection, energy efficiency and anti-theft performance for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts.
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The EU’s involvement in both agreements ensures consistency in their different harmonisation activities.
KEY POINTS
Decision 97/836/EC:
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lists the UN/ECE regulations (over 100) the EU will implement. These range from headlamps and brakes to seat belts and anti-theft devices;
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states that the EU may withdraw from, or sign up to, a regulation as it wishes;
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sets out the practical arrangements for the EU’s involvement in the UN/ECE’s work, both on new regulations and priorities for the organisation’s work programme;
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confirms that EU countries which sign up to UN regulations, to which the EU as a whole is not party, may apply them provided these are not incompatible with the EU legislation on type approval* for motor vehicles.
The UN/ECE 1958 agreement:
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establishes an administrative committee with representatives from all signatory countries to prepare the technical regulations for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts;
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lays down the administrative committee’s composition and rules of procedure:
- a quorum requires at least half of the member countries to be present;
- a two-thirds majority is needed to approve a new regulation or adopt an amendment;
- a regulation comes into force 6 months after being adopted, unless over one third of members disagree;
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stipulates that regulations cover:
- wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts;
- technical requirements;
- test methods for performance requirements;
- conditions for granting type approval;
- date of entry into force;
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sets out procedures to ensure vehicles and parts meet the required standards before receiving type approval;
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enables signatory countries to grant type approval for vehicles, equipment and parts satisfying the various regulations and confirms they must accept those issued by their partners;
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requires any disputes between members to be settled by negotiation and, failing that, by arbitration.
The Parallel Agreement:
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establishes an executive committee to implement the agreement;
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sets out the criteria technical regulations must meet;
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provides 2 procedures, instead of mutual recognition of the type-approval system, to agree new global technical regulations:
- harmonising existing national regulations or standards contained in a compendium as candidates for global agreement;
- drafting new regulations which would be listed in a global registry;
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confirms the European Commission represents the EU in:
- adopting and notifying global technical regulations;
- participating in resolving disputes;
- amending the agreement.
DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE
The EU became a contracting party to the 1958 agreement on 24 March 1998.
The parallel agreement of 1998 entered into force on 25 August 2000.
BACKGROUND
The 2 agreements contribute to the aims of the EU’s common commercial policy by eliminating technical barriers to trade and helping access to non-EU markets.
For more information, see:
KEY TERMS
Wheeled vehicle: a vehicle that moves on wheels and usually has a container to transport people or things.
Type approval: the process applied by national authorities to certify that a model of a vehicle meets all EU safety, environmental and conformity of production requirements before authorising it to be placed on the EU market.
MAIN DOCUMENTS
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’) (OJ L 346, 17.12.1997, pp. 78-94)
Successive amendments to Decision 97/836/EC have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
Council Decision 2000/125/EC of 31 January 2000 concerning the conclusion of the Agreement concerning the establishing of global technical regulations for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or be used on wheeled vehicles (‘Parallel Agreement’) (OJ L 35, 10.2.2000, pp. 12-13)
See consolidated version.
Agreement concerning the establishing of global technical regulations for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or be used on wheeled vehicles — Composition and rules of procedure of the executive committee (OJ L 35, 10.2.2000, pp. 14-27)
last update 23.07.2019