INF .26

Working Party on the Transport

of Dangerous Goods

Geneva, 8-12 November 1999

(Agenda item 3(d) (i))

TRANSITIONAL PERIODS WHEN NEW TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS, RELATED TO VEHICLES WILL COME INTO FORCE IN ADR

Transmitted by the Government of Sweden

Introduction

At the 58th session of WP.15, Sweden pointed out that there was a need for the vehicle industry to have a reasonable lead-time when new technical regulations in ADR will come into force (doc. TRANS/WP.15/R.366). Therefore, we welcome the French proposal (TRANS/WP.15/1999/53) concerning transitional periods related to the construction of vehicles.

However, we have some viewpoints on the length of the transitional period and in which part the transitional provisions should be incorporated into the restructured version of ADR.

Proposal

Introduce a new section in chapter 1.6 to read as follows:

1.6.6	[Transitional periods for] vehicles

1.6.6.1	The requirements concerning the construction of base-vehicles, which were in force 31 December (year n) may be applied until the 31 December (year n+1).

As the situation is today, the complete and final text of amendments to ADR is published only a few months before it comes into force. Vehicle manufacturers have declared that this is a problem because of the short period to incorporate new technical requirements in the production process. It should be realised that vehicle manufacturing of today is a complicated high technology process. Furthermore, in the present version of ADR there are references to other regulations and directives concerning technical requirements related to vehicles. During the few last sessions it has been pointed out that there are problems when the dates of implementation for regulations and directives do not correspond to the implementation date of ADR.

Considering the aspects mentioned above, we believe that the transitional period must be at least 12 months from the date when the new regulations will come into force.

It has also been pointed out at the joint meetings that all transitional measures should be covered in one specific chapter (1.6). In the current version of chapter 1.6 there are no transitional provisions relating to vehicles. The proposed text could be incorporated in the general section of chapter 1.6, but in our opinion it would be better and consistent with the rest of the chapter to insert a new specific section for vehicles. Thereby it will be possible to add any further transitional provisions specific to vehicles in this separate section.