PURPOSE: to set out the Community’s position on a draft UN/ECE Regulation on wheels for passenger cars and their trailers.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2006/363/EC on the position of the European Community in relation to the draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on wheels for passenger cars and their trailers.

CONTENT: this Act has been approved in accordance with procedures relating to EC participation on the United Nations Commission for Europe (UN/ECE). The Community’s position is to approve the UN/ECE draft Regulation on wheels for passenger cars and their trailers. Once enforced the draft UN/ECE Regulation will abolish technical barriers to trade in motor vehicles (with respect to those components) between the Contracting Parties, whilst at the same time ensuring a high level of safety and environmental protection.

Specifically speaking this Council Decision:

- approves the draft Regulation TRANS/WP.29/2005/46;

- states that the Commission, on behalf of the EU, will vote in favour of the draft Regulation at the forthcoming UN/ECE meeting; and that

- the draft Regulation will be incorporated into the Community type-approval system for motor vehicles.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Enrique BARÓN CRESPO (PES, ES) and gave its assent to the proposal for a Council decision.

The committee adopted the report by its chair, Enrique BARÓN CRESPO (PES, ES), recommending that Parliament give its assent to the proposed Council Decision on the European Community's position in relation to the draft Regulation of the UN Economic Commission for Europe on wheels for passenger cars and their trailers.

The Council agreed on a common approach with a view to adopting two Decisions approving draft

Regulations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE):

on wheels for passenger cars and their trailers; on the approval of adaptive front-lighting systems for motor vehicles, in order to fit them with headlamps that can have their beam pattern adapted to better suit the type of road.

The main purpose of the UN/ECE Regulations 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 and environmental protection. Both Council Decisions, after obtaining assent from the European Parliament, will enable the European Commission to vote in favour of the draft Regulations at a forthcoming meeting of the UN/ECE forum for harmonisation of vehicle regulations.

The EU has been a party to the UN/ECE Agreement since 1998.

The Council adopted common guidelines on its Decision on the position of the European Community in relation to the draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on wheels for passenger cars and their trailers. No substantial changes have been made to the content of the text.

The Council adopted common guidelines on its Decision on the position of the European Community in relation to the draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on wheels for passenger cars and their trailers. No substantial changes have been made to the content of the text.

PURPOSE : to enable the Commission to vote, on behalf of the EC, on the draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on wheels for passenger cars and their trailers.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Decision.

CONTENT : by Council Decision 97/836/EC, the EC 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 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 wheels for passenger cars and their trailers. 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 and environmental protection.

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.

This Decision will 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.

PURPOSE : to enable the Commission to vote, on behalf of the EC, on the draft Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on wheels for passenger cars and their trailers.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Decision.

CONTENT : by Council Decision 97/836/EC, the EC 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 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 wheels for passenger cars and their trailers. 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 and environmental protection.

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.

This Decision will 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.