UNITED

NATIONS

Distr.

GENERAL

TRANS/SC.1/365

3 December 1999

Original: ENGLISH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE

INLAND TRANSPORT COMMITTEE

Working Party on Road Transport

REPORT OF THE WORKING PARTY ON ITS NINETY-THIRD SESSION

(19-21 October 1999)

ATTENDANCE

1.	The Working Party on Road Transport held its ninety-third session in Geneva from 19 to 21 October 1999 under the chairmanship of Mr. J. Alaluusua (Finland). Representatives of the following ECE member States participated: Czech Republic; Finland; France; Germany; Hungary; Italy; Latvia; Netherlands; Poland; Romania; Russian Federation; Switzerland; Turkey and Ukraine. Representatives of the European Commission (EC) participated. Representatives of the following intergovernmental organizations also participated: European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT); and International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (Unidroit). The following non- governmental organizations were represented: Council of Bureaux of the Green Card System; International Automobile Federation & International Touring Alliance (FIA & AIT); International Road Transport Union (IRU); International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF); and Transfrigoroute (International).

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/364.

2.	The Working Party adopted the provisional agenda prepared by the secretariat.

GE.99-

ACTIVITIES OF ECE BODIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OF INTEREST TO THE WORKING PARTY

(a)	Inland Transport Committee and its subsidiary bodies

Documentation: ECE/TRANS/128 and Add.1; TRANS/WP.6/AC.2/12/Add.1.

3.	The Working Party was informed about the results of the sixty-first session of the Inland Transport Committee (8-11 February 1999) related to road transport.

4.	In particular the attention of the Working Party was drawn to resolution No. 247 on the E Road Census and Inventory requesting Governments to inform the Executive Secretary of ECE by 31 December 1999 whether they agreed to implement the provisions of the resolution.

5.	The Working Party was also informed about TRANS/WP.6/AC.2/12/Add.1 which contained the questionnaire to be completed for the 2000 Combined Census and Inventory.

(b)	International organizations

6.	The representative of the International Transport Worker's Federation (ITF) stated that it remained the aim of his organization to achieve the regulation of professional drivers' working time rather than driving time. To this end the ITF had coordinated an international day of action on 5 October 1999 in which trade unions from some 55 countries had participated. This had been followed by a meeting with the President of the European Union's Transport Council on 6 October 1999 and the ITF was hopeful that the Council would take a positive decision on the proposal for a Directive on the Working Time of Mobile Transport Workers at its meeting in December 1999.

7.	The ITF's Bus Construction Working Group had visited Japanese bus and coach manufacturers in March 1999 and was encouraged by the work they had undertaken to strengthen vehicles to protect drivers in the event of frontal impacts.

8.	The ITF reported that it was preparing publications on Telematics in Road Transport and on its recommendations for improving the design and construction of buses and coaches.

9.	The representative of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) gave an overview of his organization's recent major activities:

-	IRU study on East-West Road Freight Transport;

-	IRU Manifesto "Europe Needs Road Transport";

-	IRU position on EU enlargement;

-	Sustainable development - work on an IRU Guide on best practices;

-	Fighting artificial barriers: borders, fiscal issues, discrimination, bans and blockades, illegal immigration;

-	Improving the image of the road transport industry (e.g. CNN campaign);

-	Harmonizing road transport training and testing standards - IRU Academy;

-	TIR system management;

-	Publications, e.g. 2nd edition of Truck Parking Areas in Europe (in cooperation with ECMT) which would be ready by the end of 1999; and

-	IRU World Congress "Mobility of People and Goods 2000+" to be held on 17-21 May 2000 in Brussels.

10.	The representative of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) informed the Working Party about the recent activities of her organization. The principal activity of the ECMT Working Group on Road Transport is to assure the management and development of the multilateral quota system for international transport of goods by road. Nevertheless, in the last year the group has concentrated on the social aspects of road transport. In the course of its meetings in 1999 and in parallel with developments in the European Union, the group has been able to identify principles for social harmonization which would be acceptable to all ECMT member countries. At the meeting of the Council of Ministers in May 1999 in Warsaw, it was decided in the future to link the development of the ECMT multilateral quota system to progress in the social field. The Ministers also adopted several reports and a resolution on reducing delays at border crossings for road, rail and combined transport. The ECMT road transport group is also currently working on the revision of its consolidated resolution on the international transport of goods by road (adopted by Ministers in 1994) to bring it in line with the current composition of the ECMT and the latest Directives adopted by the European Union.

ROAD TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

European Agreement on Main International Traffic Arteries (AGR)

(i)	Status of prior amendments to the AGR

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/1999/3; TRANS/SC.1/363.

11.	The Working Party took note of the consolidated version of the AGR prepared by the secretariat as contained in TRANS/SC.1/1999/3.

12.	The Working Party was informed that the Inland Transport Committee at its sixty-first session had noted that considerable progress had been made on the extension of the AGR network in 1998. Based on the results of three preparatory meetings, the ninety-second session of the Working Party on Road Transport had been able to adopt a number of amendment proposals to Annex I of the AGR, many of them in the Caucasus and Central Asian ECE member States (TRANS/SC.1/363, paras. 10-18 and annex 1). These amendment proposals as accepted by SC.1 had been transmitted to the Secretary- General of the United Nations for legal notification to the competent administrations of the Contracting Parties directly concerned (depositary notification reference C.N.380.1999.TREATIES-1, dated

2 June 1999).

13.	The delegate of Turkey informed the Working Party that the reference in document TRANS/SC.1/363 and in the depositary notification to the suppression of the road section from Trabzon to Poti on the E 97 referred to the E 97 only and that the link from Trabzon to Poti stood as part of the extension of the E 70. The Working Party requested the secretariat to amend the appropriate documentation accordingly.

14.	The delegate of Ukraine informed the Working Party that the spelling of some of the names of Ukrainian cities in the English and Russian version of the document was incorrect and asked the secretariat to correct them. He also reserved the right of his Government to provide the secretariat at a future date with the Ukrainian spellings of Ukrainian cities for inclusion in Annex I to the AGR.

15.	The Working Party requested the secretariat to produce a new official map of the E road network once the above-mentioned amendments had entered into force.

(ii)	Results of the seventeenth Ad hoc Meeting on the Implementation of the AGR

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/AC.5/34.

16.	The Chairman of the seventeenth session of the Ad hoc Meeting on the Implementation of the AGR (28 to 29 June 1999), Mr. M. Rolla (Poland), informed the Working Party of the results of the Ad hoc Meeting, including the approval of amendment proposals submitted by France, Romania and the Russian Federation.

17.	The Working Party considered the results of the Ad hoc Meeting and adopted the proposals contained in Annex 1 to TRANS/SC.1/AC.5/34, noting that the new proposals made by the Russian Federation suggested different numbering for major north-south roads to those currently being circulated to Contracting Parties.

18.	In the light of recent serious road traffic accidents in the Mont Blanc and Tauern tunnels, the Ad hoc Meeting had also discussed the issue of safety in tunnels. In this connection, the Ad hoc Meeting had decided to ask the Working Party on Road Transport to promote the establishment of a multi- disciplinary group of experts to work on the development of appropriate proposals for amendments to the AGR and other legal instruments dealing with road safety and other aspects (TRANS/SC.1/AC.5/34, paras. 17-23).

19.	The Working Party approved the proposal of the Ad hoc Meeting and established a small group (France, Italy, Romania) to draft during the session a recommendation to the ITC regarding the establishment of such a group of experts. The Working Party subsequently adopted the proposal of the small group contained in annex 4 to the present report and requested that it be brought to the attention of the sixty-second session of the Inland Transport Committee.

(iii)	Consideration of new proposals for amendments to the AGR, Annexes I and II

20.	The Working Party was informed that the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina had informed the secretariat that Sarajevo was not listed in the itinerary of the E 73 as reflected in Annex I to the AGR, although it was indicated on the E road network map.

21.	The Working Party was further informed that the secretariat had not received any new proposals for amendments to the AGR.

TRANS-EUROPEAN NORTH-SOUTH MOTORWAY (TEM) PROJECT

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/1999/7.

22.	The Working Party was informed about progress made in the TEM Project. The Working Party expressed its continued support for the TEM project and the work done by it. With regard to the report by the TEM Project Manager, the Working Party was of the view that in future more emphasis should be put on reporting on present and expected future progress, including concerning the extension of the TEM network, rather than on the historical background of the Project.

23.	The Working Party requested the secretariat to continue providing it with up-to-date information on the activities and progress of the TEM project.

HARMONIZATION OF REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING INTERNATIONAL ROAD TRANSPORT AND FACILITATION OF ITS OPERATION

(a)	Implementation of the AETR

Consideration of the report of the Ad hoc Meeting on the Revision of the AETR

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/AC.6/2; TRANS/SC.1/1999/4; TRANS/SC.1/1999/5.

24.	The Working Party took note of a consolidated version of the AETR prepared by the secretariat (TRANS/SC.1/1999/4) and document TRANS/SC.1/1999/5 in English, French and Russian which contained Council Regulation (EC) No. 2135/98 of 24 September 1998 introducing the use of the digital tachograph and driver card in the European Union.

25.	At its ninety-second session, the Working Party had decided to ask the Inland Transport Committee to endorse the convening of an Ad hoc Working Group on the Revision of the European Agreement concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles engaged in International Road Transport (AETR).

26.	The Committee had endorsed the decision to convene an Ad hoc Working Group with the following mandate: (i) to ensure that the text of the AETR regarding the checking of drivers' records was compatible with the relevant text of EU legislation (TRANS/SC.1/363, annex 2); and (ii) to propose draft amendments intended to introduce into the AETR, in line with Regulation 3821 as modified by the Council of the European Union, the digital tachograph, and to define the necessary transitional periods for its application (ECE/TRANS/128, para. 50).

27.	The Ad hoc Working Group had met on 8-9 March 1999 in Geneva. The Chairwoman of the Group, Mrs. M.-N. Poirier (France), introduced the decisions of the Ad hoc Group which were contained in TRANS/SC.1/AC.6/2. The Ad hoc Working Group had proposed a revised text of Article 12 on measures of enforcement of the Agreement (Annex I), revisions to Articles 10, 13 and 22

(Annex II) and to the relevant annex of the AETR (Annex III) on the introduction of the new digital tachograph, new provisions regarding amendment procedures (Annex IV) and additional distinctive numbers assigned to new Contracting Parties (Annex V).

28.	As far as Article 12 on measures of enforcement of the Agreement was concerned, the proposed revised text was adopted by the Working Party.

29.	The representative of the European Commission informed the Working Party about the status of work in the European Commission on the finalization of Annex 1B to Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 setting out the technical specifications of the new digital tachograph and driver card. This document was expected to be finalised in the spring of next year, probably published in autumn 2000 and would enter into force two years after publication. It was highly technical in nature and some 250 pages long. In his opinion the revised AETR should make reference to that Annex and not seek to reproduce it. He also emphasized that the use of the digital tachograph would only be obligatory for new vehicles engaged in international transport (see also alternative text proposed by the delegate of France in Annex 5 to the present report).

30.	The Working Party was of the opinion that the legal issue of including a reference to an EU Regulation in a UN/ECE Convention would require profound analysis by the secretariat.

31.	The Working Party approved in principle the revisions to the AETR proposed in TRANS/SC.1/AC.6/2 by the Ad hoc Working Group and the proposed transitional period of five years. The reference date for the proposed amendments from which the transition period would be counted still had to be defined.

32.	The Working Party requested the secretariat, in cooperation with the representative of the European Commission and the delegate of France, to prepare a new corrected version of the relevant annexes in TRANS/SC.1/AC.6/2 ensuring that all new provisions appeared in bold.

33.	The Working Party also asked the secretariat to check whether there were precedents in other ECE instruments for raising the number of countries making an objection to a proposed amendment from one to three (as proposed in Annex IV of TRANS/SC.1/AC.6/2), for example in the Agreement on the International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs (ATP).

34.	The secretariat was further requested to write to non-EU Contracting Parties to the AETR not present at the session, informing them about the work of the Ad hoc Working Group and the Working Party on this subject and about the approval in principle by the Working Party of the amendment proposals contained in TRANS/SC.1/AC.6/2. Special attention should be drawn in this communication, inter alia, to the five-year transition period proposed as well as the administrative implications of the planned introduction of the digital tachograph and driver card. The secretariat should give a deadline for replies to this letter of the end of January 2000.

35.	The Working Party noted that there were several amendments of regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 which had not yet been introduced into the AETR. In this regard, the delegate of France proposed to submit an amendment proposal, in cooperation with the European Commission, to the next session of the Working Party.

36.	The Working Party was informed that the Government of Croatia had written to the secretariat asking for the addresses of the competent authorities regarding the AETR in member States Contracting Parties. In this connection, the Working Party decided that the secretariat should request the addresses from Contracting Parties and also make a proposal to the next session of the Working Party on amending Article 4 of the Agreement by requiring Governments to provide the relevant address to the secretariat.

37.	The Working Party decided that the Inland Transport Committee should be informed about the amendment proposals contained in TRANS/SC.1/AC.6/2.

(b)	Development of provisions on the facilitation of international road transport (R.E.4)

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/1998/6; TRANS/SC.1/1999/2.

38.	The Working Party was informed that the Ad hoc Working Group on the Revision of R.E.4 had met in Geneva on 25-26 March 1999 under the chairmanship of Mr. M.C. Urlan (Romania). The Group, comprising delegates of Romania, Russian Federation and Switzerland and representatives of the European Commission and the IRU, had agreed to the new draft text contained in TRANS/SC.1/1999/2 which incorporated additional comments and proposals from the World Trade Organization, the European Commission and the Council of Bureaux of the Green Card System.

39.	The Working Party discussed the new revised version of R.E.4 and thanked the Ad hoc Working Group for its work. While recognising that R.E.4 was of a Recommendation character and therefore not legally binding, it decided that it was not yet in a position to forward the draft to the Inland Transport Committee for adoption, since many Governments had not had the opportunity to examine the text in detail.

40.	The Working Party felt that more cooperation was required with other organizations active in developing legal documents for the facilitation of road transport, such as ECMT and the European Commission, in order to ensure that efforts were not duplicated and results harmonized. Moreover, the Working Party felt, with regard to the prepared draft, that all member Governments should have an opportunity to comment on it. It was also noted in that connection that many matters dealt with in R.E.4 were the responsibility of different national agencies, such as customs authorities, police, etc. which meant that the process of collecting comments would take longer.

41.	The representative of the ECMT informed the Working Party that the Road Transport Group of the ECMT was working on the revision of the 1994 ECMT resolution on international transport of goods by road and that the final draft would be presented to the next Council of Ministers in Prague in May 2000. The difference between the ECE and ECMT resolutions was that the ECMT resolution just dealt with goods transport whereas R.E.4 covered all aspects of international road transport. The representative of the ECMT gave details of some reservations which Governments had already expressed to elements of the ECMT resolution. In order to better coordinate work in the future she invited the secretariat to participate in the relevant ECMT meetings on this subject.

42.	Concluding, the Working Party requested the secretariat to send again the draft to all ECE member Governments and ask them to provide their comments by the end of February 2000. The secretariat was requested to prepare a document for the ninety-fourth session of SC.1 in November 2000 based on the responses received.

(c)	Consideration of possibilities for agreements and other measures on border crossings and border facilities for road transport between Eastern and Western Europe

Documentation: TRANS/WP.30/AC.3/6; TRANS/SC.1/1999/6-TRANS/WP.30/1999/12; Informal document transmitted by the IRU and Transfrigoroute (International).

43.	At its sixty-first session, the Inland Transport Committee had taken note of the results of the Joint Session on Border Crossing Problems organized by SC.1 and the Working Party on Customs Questions affecting Transport (WP.30) (ECE/TRANS/128, para. 52) and invited the Administrative Committee of the International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods to consider the preparation of a new Annex to the Convention on the facilitation of border crossing, taking into account, inter alia, the work carried out in the context of ECMT.

44.	The Administrative Committee, on the basis of proposals prepared by the Working Party on the Transportation of Perishable Foodstuffs (WP.11) and the IRU in accordance with the above mandate, had considered new annexes to the Convention which contained provisions relating on the one hand to the facilitation of border crossing by refrigerated vehicles (Annex 2 to ECE/TRANS/128) and on the other hand to the issuance of visas to professional drivers, exchange of information on border crossing procedures, preparation and acceptance of weight and vehicle inspection certificates, minimum requirements for border crossing points, and regular status reports on border crossing facilities.

45.	The Administrative Committee had invited WP.30 to study these proposals in detail, to complement them with the required technical and administrative provisions allowing for their efficient implementation in the framework of the Convention and to transmit tangible and comprehensive amendment proposals to the next session of the Administrative Committee to be held in October 2000.

46.	The Working Party examined the report of the Administrative Committee (TRANS/WP.30/AC.3/6) as well as the draft proposal prepared by the IRU (TRANS/SC.1/1999/6- TRANS/WP.30/1999/12). It also considered a new proposal contained in an Informal document by the IRU and Transfrigoroute (International) which contained a merged version of the proposals by both organizations in a single document.

47.	The Working Party examined the different elements of the proposal, and supported the initiative of WP.30 (subsequently adopted by WP.30) that an informal drafting group made up of experts from both WP.30 and SC.1 be convened to prepare the final text of the new Annex to the Harmonization Convention. The following delegations from SC.1 volunteered to participate in the work of that group: France, Germany, Romania, Switzerland, IRU and Transfrigoroute (International).

(d)	Revision of the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Passengers and Luggage by Road (CVR)

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/269; TRANS/SC.1/275 and Add.1; TRANS/SC.1/1997/7.

48.	At its ninety-second session, the Working Party had asked the secretariat to recirculate a letter asking for contributions and views from Governments on the possible revision of the CVR (TRANS/SC.1/363, paras. 36-37). This communication was sent on 18 March 1999. No replies had been received.

49.	The representative of Unidroit expressed that organization's concern at the low number of Contracting Parties to the CVR and the lack of progress made on revision. The representative of the IRU stated that the CVR was an important instrument since it was the only Convention governing the contract for international passenger transport. He went on to explain that in the original version of the Convention compensation had been calculated in gold francs (the Protocol changed the gold franc to the SDR but the Protocol was not in force) and that since the value of the gold franc had risen some six times since the Convention was drawn up, levels of compensation might now be acceptable to more Governments.

50.	The delegate of France informed the Working Party that carriers in her country would like France to accede to the CVR and suggested that a document be prepared for the next session of the Working Party providing background information on the CVR and suggesting what revisions were necessary.

51.	Taking note of the above suggestion, the Working Party requested the secretariat in cooperation with the IRU to prepare the document for its next session and considered the possibility of establishing an Ad hoc Working Group on the Revision of the CVR to meet in 2001.

(e)	Review of the situation and questions concerning facilitation of international road transport

(i)	International Motor Insurance System (Green Card)

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/1999/8; TRANS/SC.1/1999/9.

52.	A representative of the Council of Bureaux informed the Working Party about the latest developments in the Green Card System as contained in the Report of the President. A summary of that report appears in Annex 3 to the present report. He also stated that reports show that the bureau of Yugoslavia is not responding to enquiries from other bureaux regarding the settlement of claims for accidents involving Kosovan vehicles. As the bureau of Yugoslavia is responsible for all Green Cards issued for the territory of Yugoslavia, including Kosovo, it is not possible for other bureaux to issue Green Cards for Kosovan vehicles. Therefore at its meeting of 5 October 1999, the Management Committee of the Council of Bureaux recommended that until the Kosovan situation is resolved only frontier insurance should be accepted for Kosovan vehicles entering the territory of other bureaux. For foreign vehicles entering Kosovo, it was recommended that frontier insurance be purchased which is valid for that territory.

53.	The Working Party took note of the revised list of inter-Bureaux Agreements which reflected the latest status of membership of the Green Card System and of the proposal to modify the format of the Green Card.

(ii)	Accession to and implementation of UN/ECE international legal instruments in the field of road transport

Documentation: Informal document No.1 (chart of accessions to UN/ECE legal instruments in transport).

54.	The secretariat informed the Working Party of the latest accessions to legal instruments falling within its purview. Instruments of accession to the AETR had been received from Finland on 16 February 1999 (entry into force on 15 August 1999), and Uzbekistan on 22 October 1998 (entry into force on 20 April 1999); to the CMR from the Islamic Republic of Iran on 17 September 1998 (entry into force on 16 December 1998) and Georgia on 4 August 1999 (entry into force on 2 November 1999); and to the Convention on the Taxation of Road Vehicles Engaged in International Goods Transport from Uzbekistan on 22 October 1998 (entry into force on 20 January 1999).

55. Referring to Informal document No. 1, the Working Party was informed that the ITC had decided not to issue the comprehensive document on UN/ECE legal instruments in transport every year. Several delegates stated that the comprehensive document was more useful than the new format as presented in Informal document No.1. The Working Party took note of the fact that this issue would be discussed in the bureau meeting of the ITC.

56.	The Working Party was informed that detailed and up-to-date information on legal instruments was available at the United Nations internet home page www.un.org/databases/treaties.

(iii)	Consideration of the development of a Protocol to the CMR

Documentation: E/ECE/253-E/ECE/TRANS/489; TRANS/SC.1/R.276.

57.	At its ninety-second session, the Working Party had recommended the drawing up of a Protocol regarding the integration of electronic data interchange (EDI) into the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) rather than a revision of the Convention itself. The Working Party had agreed that developing a protocol to the CMR to incorporate EDI was a complex issue that would require further analysis by experts on EDI, transport and private law, and asked the secretariat to contact Unidroit, an intergovernmental legal organization based in Rome, for their views on this matter.

58.	The secretariat contacted Unidroit which answered that both the Unidroit secretariat and its Governing Council would be happy to cooperate with the UN/ECE on this issue. Consequently, Professor Jacques Putzeys from Unidroit, participating at the invitation of the secretariat, provided the Working Party with information regarding both the possibilities and complexity of the improvement of the CMR by e.g. developing the protocol to the CMR. He also informed the Working Party about his willingness to report on the matter at the Unidroit Governing Council meeting to be held in May 2000 in Lisbon.

59.	The Working Party decided that the work on adding the EDI protocol to the CMR should be continued. It requested Professor Putzeys to proceed as he proposed, and requested the secretariat to prepare information on the progress made for the next SC.1 session in the year 2000.

60.	Also related to the CMR, the Working Party was informed that the Deputy Minister of Transport of Georgia had recently contacted the secretariat regarding the CMR form. CMR forms in Georgia are printed by a private company whose logo appears on the form. Georgia had asked whether this was correct. The IRU informed the Working Party that the CMR form was generally printed by private companies and that the IRU could provide further information on the subject.

(iv)	Fiscal issues related to road haulage

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/1998/9.

61.	The Working Party took note of document TRANS/SC.1/1999/9 and decided to take up the issue of fiscal measures at its next session. In this regard it requested the secretariat to make available information on other studies in this field, e.g. a recent Swiss study and the 13-country PHARE study on road transport charges.

FOLLOW-UP TO THE REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON TRANSPORT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Documentation: E/RTCE/CONF.3/FINAL; JMTE/1999/6.

62.	A representative of the secretariat informed the Working Party that the Second Joint Meeting on Transport and the Environment had been held on 6 July 1999. The Joint Meeting had requested the secretariat to organize a meeting of national focal points, lead actors and other experts to: (a) identify key priorities in the Programme of Joint Action (ECE/RTCE/CONF./3/FINAL); establish a revolving work plan; (c) provide guidance on the implementation of the Programme of Joint Action and ensure coordination based on the practical experience gained in different countries; (d) prepare the 2002 mid- term review and possibly a round table in 2000. Finally, the Joint Meeting urged member States to find new international lead actors for the elements not yet covered. Further information regarding the process of follow-up to RTCE could be found on the ECE web site at www.unece.org/poja.

63.	The Working Party requested the secretariat to provide it with information for its next session on the specific issues in the Programme of Joint Action which could be addressed by SC.1.

REVISION OF THE PROGRAMME OF WORK FOR 2000 TO 2004

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/128/Add.1; TRANS/SC.1/1999/1.

64.	The Working Party examined its draft programme of work for 2000 to 2004 and asked the secretariat to finalise it in coordination with the Chairman and to annex it to the present report as Annex 2 so that it could be considered at the sixty-second session of the Inland Transport Committee (15-17 February 2000).

OTHER BUSINESS

65.	The Working Party was informed that the ninety-fourth session of SC.1 had been scheduled for 14-16 November 2000. The deadline for submission of documents to the secretariat is 8 June 2000. A circular communication requesting input for the ninety-fourth session will be sent to Governments in April 2000.

66.	The Working Party decided, on an exceptional basis, that comments regarding the revision of the AETR by the delegate of France, who had to leave before the end of the session, could be presented in Annex 5 to the present report.

ADOPTION OF THE REPORT

67.	The Working Party adopted the report of its ninety-third session based on a draft prepared by the secretariat.

________

Annex 1

DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO ANNEX I TO THE AGR

Russian Federation

A.	Main roads

(2)	North-south orientation

(a)	Reference roads

E 115 -	Extend from Rostov-na-Donu to Novorossijsk.

New overall reference: E 115 Yaroslavl - Moskva - Voronezh - Rostov-na-Donu- Krasnodar - Novorossijsk

E 117 -	Renumber E road from Mineraljnie Vodi to Megri

Overall reference: E 117 Mineraljnie Vodi - Naljchik - Vladikavkaz - Tbilisi -
Yerevan - Goris - Megri

E 119 -	Renumber E road from Moskva to Astara

Overall reference: E 119 Moskva - Tambov - Povorino - Volgograd - Astrakhan - Makhachkala - Kuba - Baku - Alyat - Astara

E 121 -	Renumber E road from Samara to Gorgan

Overall reference: E 121 Samara - Uralsk - Atyrau - Beineu - Shetpe - Zhetybay -
Fetisovo - Bekdash - Turkmenbashi - Gyzylarbat - border of Iran (Gorgan)

E 123 -	Renumber E road from Chelyabinsk to Nizhiniy Panj (Afghanistan)

Overall reference: E 123 Chelyabinsk - Kustanay - Esil - Derzhavinsk - Arkalyk -

Dzehezkazgan - Kzyl-Orda - Shymkent - Tashkent - Ayni - Dushanbe - Nizhiniy Panj

E 125 -	Renumber E road from Petropavlovsk to Torugart (China)

Overall reference: E 125 Petropavlovsk - Kokchetav - Albasar - Akmola - Karaganda - Balkhash - Burylbaytal - Almaty - Bishkek - Naryn - Torugart

E 127 -	Renumber E road from Omsk to Maikapshagai (China)

Overall reference: E 127 Omsk - Pavlodar - Semipalatinsk - Georgiyevka - Maikapshagai

B.	Branch, link and connecting roads

Road E 591 - Delete

France

A.	Main roads

(2)	North-south orientation

(a)	Reference roads

E 25 -	Modification to include the following reference towns on the island of Corsica: Bastia, Porto Vecchio, Bonifacio

New overall reference: E 25 Hoek van Holland - Rotterdam - Gouda - Utrecht -

's-Hertogenbosch - Eindhoven - Maastricht - Liège - Bastogne - Arlon - Luxembourg - Metz - St. Avold - Strasbourg - Mulhouse - Basel - Olten - Bern -

Lausanne - Genève - Mont-Blanc - Aosta - Ivrea - Vercelli - Allessandria - Genova ...

Bastia - Porto Vecchio - Bonifacio ... Porto Torres - Sassari - Cagliari ... Palermo

Romania

B.	Branch, link and connecting roads

E 675 -	new E road

Overall reference: E 675 Constanta - Agigea - Negru Voda/Kardam (RO/BG border)

Annex 2

DRAFT PROGRAMME OF WORK FOR 2000-2004 */

PROGRAMME ACTIVITY 02.2: ROAD TRANSPORT

02.2.1	Road transport infrastructure	[Priority: 1]

I.	Implementation of and amendments to the European Agreement on Main International Traffic Arteries (AGR)

Description: In order to adapt the European road network to future requirements and to extend it to Central Asian and Caucasus ECE member States the Working Party on Road Transport (SC.1) will take suitable action for implementing the Agreement and for amending as necessary its provisions with regard, in particular, to the structure and numbering of the network (Annex I), applicable technical standards (Annex II) and user information and safety, taking into account the evolution of traffic flows.

Work to be undertaken:

(a)	Review of the E road network and conditions to which it should conform and adoption of necessary amendments to Annexes I, [and] II and III of the Agreement (Continuing); Expected output by [2000] 2001: Consideration, and adoption as appropriate, of amendments to Annexes I, [and] II and III of AGR.

Priority 1

(b)	Consideration of the AGR Agreement in the light of new east-west traffic flows with a view to introducing main international road links in eastern European, Central Asian and Caucasus ECE member States in the E-road network (Continuing); Expected output by [2000] 2001: Adoption of amendments to Annex I and II to the AGR including new E-roads in Central Asia and Caucasus.

Priority 1

(c)	Consideration of the AGR Agreement in the light of other related UN/ECE [legal instruments, follow-up to the UN Regional Conference on Transport and the Environment (RCTE) and related work of] bodies and other organizations with a view to enhancing AGR provisions and standards which have an impact on road safety, environmental protection and energy saving (Continuing); Expected output by [2000] 2001: Review of the provisions of Annex II of the AGR which relate to safety, including safety in tunnels [in the light of safety conditions requested by other bodies (e.g., WP.1)]; Development of strategies for follow-up to the RCTE as far as the AGR is concerned.

Priority 1

(d)	Taking an inventory of the existing infrastructure parameters of the E-road network in order to enable a comparison with the relevant requirements and recommendations laid down in the AGR and analysis of this inventory in conjunction with the Census of Motor Traffic on Main International Traffic Arteries in Europe in order to rationalize the collection of data (E Road Census). (Every five years; next in 2000); Expected output by [2000] 2001: Complete geographic application of 1994 Inventory and integrate with E Road Census to be published every five years as: "The Combined Census of Road Traffic and Inventory of Standards and Parameters on Main International Traffic Arteries in Europe (E-road Census and Inventory)" (2000-2002).

Priority 2

II.	The Trans-European North-South Motorway (TEM) Project

Description: In order to assist in the construction of the TEM network as part of an integrated international road infrastructure the Working Party on Road Transport will continue its close cooperation with TEM.

Work to be undertaken:

(a)	Review of ongoing and expected future progress [made] in the TEM network [Project] and consideration of possibilities to contribute to its further development (e.g., combined transport, financing). Expected output by [2000] 2001: Guidance [Better understanding of the progress made by TEM countries] on the development of the TEM [infrastructure] Project.

Priority 2

(b)	Consideration of the possible application of results achieved by the TEM Project to the implementation of the AGR taking into consideration the results of the Helsinki Conference. Expected output by [2000] 2001: Information on the status of the TEM network standards, allowing for effective implementation of the AGR [(2001)].

Priority 2

02.2.2	Harmonization of requirements concerning international road transport and facilitation of its operations	[Priority: 1]

Description: In order to simplify and harmonize requirements concerning international road transport and the facilitation of its operation, the Working Party on Road Transport will elaborate and update, as necessary, appropriate international instruments and study selected aspects of international transport of passengers and goods by road, particularly those related to the facilitation of road transport between eastern and western Europe and the simplification and harmonization of administrative procedures and documentation.

Work to be undertaken:

(a)	Implementation of and amendments to the AETR Agreement. (Continuing) Expected output by [1999-2000] 2001: Adoption of a set of amendments to the AETR to provide for [; I]introduction into the AETR of the new digital [EU] tachograph.

Priority 1

(b)	Development of a new revised version of [provisions or a new legal instrument on the facilitation of road transport, taking into account, when relevant,] the Consolidated Resolution on the Facilitation of International Road Transport (R.E.4). Expected output by [1999-2000] 2001: Consensus achieved on new version of R.E.4 (2000-2001) [form of new instrument as proposed by the IRU and Romania; Meeting of the Ad hoc Working Group on the Revision of R.E.4 (1999-2001)].

Priority 1

(c)	Consideration of new challenges, opportunities and developments in the facilitation of border crossings and consideration of possibilities for effective measures other than legal measures on border crossing and border facilities for road transport between eastern and western Europe. Expected output by [1999-2000] 2001: Development in cooperation with the Working Party on Customs Questions affecting Transport (WP.30) of a new annex to the Harmonization Convention on the facilitation of border crossing [Consensus achieved on priorities to follow-
up in this area in light of the Joint Meeting on Border-Crossing Problems (SC.1/WP.30)].

Priority 1

(d)	Revision of the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Passengers and Luggage by Road (CVR) in order to foster wider acceptance by Governments. [(1998)] Expected output by [1999-2000] 2001: Decision on approach to revision of CVR or identification of obstacles to reform.

Priority 2

(e)	Consideration of the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) with a view to the introduction of electronic data interchange (EDI) into CMR procedures. [(1998)] Expected output by [1999-2000] 2001: Development in coordination with Unidroit of a protocol to the CMR introducing EDI [Consensus achieved on how to alter the CMR to allow for EDI (e.g., revision, protocol, amendment), based on the input and recommendations received from the Legal Expert Group of CEFACT, as well as contact with Unidroit and other parties, as necessary].

Priority 1

(f)	Consideration of other existing legal instruments related to road transport (e.g. Conventions on the Taxation of Road Vehicles in International Transport) with a view to checking their continued applicability. Expected output by [1999-2000] 2001: Assessment of dormant taxation conventions and strategies to re-stimulate interest and accession to them [(1999-2001)].

Priority 3

(g)	Consideration of questions concerning the Green Card International Motor Insurance System [facilitation of international road transport with regard to the Inter-Bureaux Agreements on International Motor Insurance Card (Green Card)]. Expected output by [1999-2000] 2001: Encourage and facilitate membership of the Green Card System [Update on status of Inter-Bureaux Agreements].

Priority 2

(h)	Promote the harmonization of fiscal measures in order to encourage a rational tax structure and to avoid discrimination regarding taxation on international road transport. Expected output by [1999-2000] 2001: Development of proposals regarding the harmonization of fiscal measures in international road transport. [Consideration of the Convention on the Taxation of Road Vehicles for Private Use in International Traffic (1956); the Convention on the Taxation of Road Vehicles engaged in International Goods Transport (1956); and the Convention on the Taxation of Road Vehicles engaged in International Passenger Transport (1956), and a decision as to their updating.]

Priority 1

(i)	Promote the harmonization of road traffic restrictions (e.g., starting time of weekend traffic bans, types of vehicles, etc.) through the consideration of national measures and practices [to avoid discriminatory treatment in road transport]; Expected output by [1999-2000] 2001: Identification of national measures and practices and consideration of follow-up based on that identification [and development of strategies to avoid discriminatory treatment in road transport].

Priority 2

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Annex 3

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF BUREAUX

OF THE GREEN CARD SYSTEM

1999 was the 50th anniversary meeting of the Council, which was created in May 1949 by thirteen original member countries. The Council now comprises forty-three member countries.

The specific issues addressed during the last twelve months and the main topics covered by the 1999 General Assembly were the following:

(i)	The decision of the 1999 General Assembly to extend 75% majority voting to cover

modifications to the Uniform Agreement between Bureaux, modifications to the Scope of the Green Card System and the dissolution of the Council which previously required a unanimous vote.

(ii)	A long-standing problem of Member Bureaux of the EEA (European Economic Area) and

Switzerland was resolved with the signature in Barcelona in September 1998 of the EEA /3rd Country Agreement. The agreement commits all EEA members and Switzerland to sign the Uniform Agreement with a 3rd Country when 75% of those Bureaux have signed bilaterally and to cancel the Uniform Agreement only when one third of those Bureaux wish to cancel the Agreement.

(iii)	A major review of the two basic Agreements of the Council of Bureaux, the bilateral Uniform

Agreement between Bureaux and the Multilateral Guarantee Agreement was started in order to standardise and clarify their content.

(iv)	With the imminent adoption of the 4th Directive, the primary interest of the Council of Bureaux is a possible extension of its provisions to interested Bureaux outside the European Economic Area. The Council wishes to be involved throughout the process to develop a new Directive to ensure that the interest of the Bureaux and the practical international claims experience that they possess are reflected in any future Directives.

(v)	The meeting of MGA Signatories in September 1998 agreed to Croatia becoming the twenty-third Signatory of the Multilateral Guarantee Agreement (activated on 1 February 1999).

The 1999 meeting of Signatories of the MGA, which will take place in Slovenia in September, is expected to agree to Cyprus becoming the twenty-fourth Signatory.

The membership of the Bureau of Moldova of the Council of Bureaux was activated on

1 July 1999. The 1999 General Assembly approved the future membership of two new member countries, Lithuania and Azerbaijan. Enquiries regarding future membership of the Council of Bureaux have been recently received from Georgia and Belarus.

Difficulties and delays with the repayment of the debts of the Bureau of Yugoslavia have continued over the last several years. This led the 1999 General Assembly to accept the Management Committee's proposal that unless the outstanding debts of the Bureau of Yugoslavia were repaid and that financial guarantees were put in place by 30 November 1999 then the Bureau would be suspended from 1 January 2000.

A new system for monitoring the quarterly performance of Transitional Members in the payment of claims was introduced in October 1998 and early results are extremely positive.

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Annex 4

PROPOSAL ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY

GROUP OF EXPERTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROPOSALS

TO AMEND THE AGR AND OTHER LEGAL INSTRUMENTS

DEALING WITH SAFETY IN TUNNELS

Preamble

The Working Party on Road Transport:

-	Recognizing the paramount importance of traffic safety in tunnels;

-	Taking into account the large number of road and rail tunnels presently in operation throughout Europe;

-	Considering the diversity of entities and organizations involved in managing and administering, operating, maintaining, repairing and upgrading the existing tunnels;

-	Reviewing the status of traffic safety in tunnels and the recent accidents including those in the Mont Blanc and Tauern tunnels;

-	Considering the recommendations already made by various ITC Working Parties and their subsidiary bodies, including the seventeenth Ad hoc Meeting on the Implementation of the AGR held in Geneva on 28-29 June 1999, which asked the Working Party on Road Transport (SC.1) to promote the establishment of a multi-disciplinary group of experts to work on the development of appropriate proposals for improved safety in tunnels;

Hereby proposes to the Inland Transport Committee:

1.	The establishment of a multi-disciplinary group of experts to work on the development of appropriate proposals for amendments to the AGR as well as other legal instruments dealing with traffic safety in tunnels.

2.	The draft terms of reference for this multi-disciplinary working group, of which the major task will be the development of "recommendations for minimum requirements for safety in tunnels of various types and lengths".

Terms of reference proposed:

-	To make an inventory of all long road and rail tunnels in the ECE region (e.g. 1000 metres or longer);

-	To prepare a list of all major traffic accidents that have happened in European tunnels in recent years and collect the most relevant findings for each important accident, and the causes of those accidents (if known);

-	To obtain information on safety provisions in tunnel management systems;

-	To collect tunnel safety regulations and guidelines prepared and adopted by relevant international organizations (PIARC, IRU, IRF, ECMT, UIC, etc.)

-	To prepare recommendations for improving present tunnel design standards;

-	To prepare in a coordinated manner minimum safety provisions for the operation, maintenance, repair, upgrading, rehabilitation and refurbishment of tunnels of various types and lengths in the form of recommendations and/or amendments to existing legal instruments;

-	The above recommendations and/or amendments should, inter alia, minimize the risk of accidents in tunnels and maximize at the same time the economic efficiency of tunnel construction and operations.

It is proposed that the multi-disciplinary Group of Experts on Safety in Tunnels be composed at least of members of WP.1, SC.1, SC.2, WP.15 and WP.29 as well as relevant international governmental and non-governmental organizations.

The Group of Experts is expected to start its work in June 2000 and terminate in the autumn of 2001 with the submission of the above recommendations, which would be dealt with by the relevant subsidiary bodies of the ITC.

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Annex 5

PROPOSED SUPPLEMENTARY TEXT FOR PARAGRAPH 29 CONCERNING REVISION OF THE AETR, MADE BY THE DELEGATE OF FRANCE AFTER THE MEETING

Explanation: The Working Party agreed, on an exceptional basis, to allow the delegate of France, in her capacity also as Chairwoman of the Ad hoc Meeting on the Revision of the AETR, to make proposals after the meeting on the part of the report dealing with the revision of the AETR (see paragraph 66 of the present report). The delegate of France proposes the following supplementary text for paragraph 29 (new text in bold):

"29.	The representative of the European Commission informed the Working Party about the status of work in the European Commission on the finalization of Annex 1B to Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 setting out the technical specifications of the new digital tachograph and driver card. This document was expected to be finalised in the spring of next year and probably published in autumn 2000. In this connection, he stated that the date of publication would be the starting point from which the digital tachograph would be obligatory equipment in new vehicles in the European Union. The first vehicles to be equipped with the digital tachograph would appear in the summer of 2002. He also stressed the advisability of only making a reference in Appendix IB to the AETR to annex IB of Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 rather than reproducing it in its entirety, taking into account its voluminous (250 pages) and highly technical content. However, in the opinion of the representative of the IRU merely making reference to an external document could raise considerable practical difficulties. Finally, concluding the debate on the question of the proposed transition period of five years, the representative of the European Commission recalled that the new tachograph to be introduced into the revised AETR would only apply to new vehicles involved in international transport."

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