LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2007/159/EC 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.

CONTENT: the Council adopted the decisions on the position to be taken by the European Community with regard to a draft regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), concerning the approval of:

- partitioning systems to protect passengers against displaced luggage, supplied as non-original Equipment (see AVC/2006/0035 );

- motor vehicles with regard to the forward field of vision of the motor vehicle driver.

The main purpose of the UN/ECE 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 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.

The European Parliament gave its assent on the two decisions on 1 February 2007.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drawn up by Enrique BARÓN CRESPO (PES, ES), and gave its assent to the 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.

The committee adopted the report by its chairman, Enrique BARÓN CRESPO (PES, ES), recommending that Parliament give its assent to the draft 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.

PURPOSE: to define 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.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: 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 driver 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.

This proposal provides for the approval of the draft UN/ECE Regulation, and also provides that the Community, represented by the Commission, shall vote in favour of the draft UN/ECE Regulation at a forthcoming meeting of the Administrative Committee of the UN/ECE World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations. The UN/ECE Regulation shall become part of the Community type-approval system for motor vehicles.

PURPOSE: to define 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.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: 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 driver 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.

This proposal provides for the approval of the draft UN/ECE Regulation, and also provides that the Community, represented by the Commission, shall vote in favour of the draft UN/ECE Regulation at a forthcoming meeting of the Administrative Committee of the UN/ECE World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations. The UN/ECE Regulation shall become part of the Community type-approval system for motor vehicles.

PURPOSE : 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.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Decision.

CONTENT : 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.

PURPOSE : 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.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Decision.

CONTENT : 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.