Proposal for a Council Decision establishing the position to be adopted on the Union’s behalf in the relevant Committees of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe as regards the proposals for amendments to Regulations Nos 3, 6, 7, 10, 13, 18, 19, 27, 46, 48, 67, 74, 107, 110, 113, 117, 123 and 129 and the draft Global Technical Regulation on the Worldwide harmonized Light-duty vehicle Test Procedures (WLTP) and the draft Global Technical Regulation on Tyres

At international level, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) develops harmonised requirements intended to remove technical barriers to the trade in motor vehicles between the Contracting Parties to the Revised 1958 Agreement and to ensure that such vehicles offer a high level of safety and environmental protection.

In accordance with Council Decision 97/836/EC of 27 November 1997 the Union acceded to the Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (“UNECE”) 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”), and in accordance with 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"), the Union acceded to the Parallel Agreement.

The meetings of UNECE WP29, the World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations, are held three times in March, June and November of each calendar year. In each meeting session new amendments to existing UNECE Regulations or Global Technical Regulations are adopted in order to allow for technical progress. Prior to each WP29 meeting these amendments were adopted by one of the six working groups (GRs) that are active under WP29.

Subsequently, in a WP29 meeting the final vote for adoption of the amendments, supplements and corrigenda takes place, provided the quorum is reached and there is a qualified majority among contracting parties. The EU is a contracting party to two Agreements (1958 and 1998 Agreements) under WP29 and votes on behalf of the Member States. A Council Decision, referred to as "mega decision", containing the list of amendments, supplements and corrigenda, is prepared each time and authorises the Commission to vote on behalf of the Member States in each WP29 meeting.

This Council Decision defines the Union's position in the voting of the amendments, supplements and corrigenda submitted for vote in the March 2014 WP29 meeting that will take place on 11 to 14 March 2014.

• Primary Source

EUR-Lex: COM(2014)95: Follow the progress of this proposal through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2014:095:FIN

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