UNITED

NATIONS

Distr.

GENERAL

TRANS/SC.1/361

3 November 1997

Original:	ENGLISH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE

INLAND TRANSPORT COMMITTEE

Working Party on Road Transport 1/

Principal Working Party on Road Transport

REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL WORKING PARTY ON ITS NINETY-FIRST SESSION

(15-17 October 1997)

CONTENTS

Paragraphs

Attendance .................................................	1

Opening of the session ......................................	2 and 3

Adoption of the agenda .....................................	4

Activities of ECE bodies and other international

organizations of interest to the Principal Working Party ....	5-7

(a)	Economic Commission for Europe ..................	5

(b)	Inland Transport Committee and its

subsidiary bodies ................................	6 and 7

Revision of the programme of work for 1998-2002 ..............	8

Please note that the distribution of documentation for the Principal Working Party (SC.1) is no longer "restricted". Accordingly, the secretariat has adopted a new numbering system whereby working documents will bear the symbol TRANS/SC.1/year of the session/serial number. Reports, agendas, resolutions and major publications will retain their previous numbering system (e.g., TRANS/SC.1/360).

GE.97- 24589

CONTENTS (continued)

Paragraphs

Regional Conference on Transport and the Environment ..........	9 and 10

Road transport infrastructure .................................	11-21

(a)	European Agreement on Main International

Traffic Arteries (AGR) ............................	11-18

(b)	Automation and Geographic Application of E Road Census	19

(c)	Trans-European North-South Motorway (TEM) Project ..	20 and 21

Harmonization of requirements concerning

international road transport and facilitation

of its operation ...............................................	22-40

(a)	Implementation of the AETR Agreement ...............	22-26

(b)	Development of provisions on the facilitation

of international road transport ....................	27 and 28

(c)	Consideration of possibilities for agreements

and other measures on border crossings and

border facilities between eastern and western

Europe .............................................	29 and 30

(d)	Revision of the Convention on the Contract for the

International Carriage of Passengers and Luggage

by Road (CVR) ......................................	31-34

(e)	Review of the situation and questions concerning

facilitation of international road transport .......	35-40

(i)	International Motor Insurance Card (Green Card)	35

(ii)	Accession to and implementation of UN/ECE

international legal instruments in the field

of road transport ..........................	36

(iii)	Consideration of revision of Protocol to the

Convention on the Contract for the International

Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) ............	37-39

(iv)	Fiscal issues relating to road haulage .....	40

Road transport safety ...........................................	41-43

Assistance to countries in transition ...........................	44 and 45

Election of officers for the next session .......................	46 and 47

CONTENTS (continued)

Paragraphs

Other business ..................................................	48-52

(a)	Circulation of selected transport information .........	48

(b)	Road transport crime ..................................	49 and 50

(c)	Date of next session ..................................	51

(d)	Lifting of restrictions on the distribution of documents	52

Adoption of the report ..........................................	53

* * *

ANNEXES

Annex 1	Draft programme of work for 1998-2002

Annex 2	Implementation of the AETR - Proposals for incorporation in a revised AETR

Annex 3	Summary of the report of the Council of Bureaux

_____________

REPORT

ATTENDANCE

1.	The Principal Working Party on Road Transport held its ninety-first session from 15 to 17 October 1997 under the chairmanship of Mr. S. Schimming (Germany). Representatives of the following member States participated: Austria; Czech Republic; Finland; France; Germany; Italy; Netherlands; Norway; Romania; Russian Federation; Switzerland; Turkey. The following intergovernmental organization was represented: International Road Traffic Organization (IRTO). The following non-governmental organizations were also represented: International Federation for Housing and Planning (IFHP); International Road Transport Union (IRU); International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF); Council of Bureaux.

OPENING OF THE SESSION

2.	During the opening of the session, the Chairman informed the Principal Working Party that its former Secretary, Mr. Jerzy Walawski, had passed away shortly following his retirement from the United Nations, after eight years of devoted work in the secretariat. The Principal Working Party expressed its gratitude for the efforts of Mr. Walawski over the years and held a moment of silence in his memory. The Chairman requested the secretariat to transmit, through the Permanent Mission of Poland in Geneva, the condolences of the Working Party to the family of Mr. Walawski.

3.	A member of the secretariat addressed the meeting on behalf of the Director of the Transport Division. Among other items, he noted that the recruitment process was under way for the vacant (P-4) post of the Secretary of the Principal Working Party; he indicated that a number of external and internal candidates had applied and wished for rapid progress in filling the post.

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/360.

4.	The Principal Working Party adopted its agenda without modifications.

ACTIVITIES OF ECE BODIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

OF INTEREST TO THE PRINCIPAL WORKING PARTY

Documentation: ECE/1997/36-E/ECE/1346; E/ECE/1347; E/ECE/1354; E/ECE/1355.

(a)	Economic Commission for Europe

5.	The Principal Working Party was informed about the results of the

fifty-second (Jubilee) session of the Economic Commission for Europe

(21-25 April 1997), particularly the adoption of the Declaration on the Strengthening of Economic Cooperation in Europe (E/ECE/1346) and the Plan of Action (E/ECE/1347). The Chairman informed the Principal Working Party in detail about the implications of the ECE restructuring on its work.

(b)	Inland Transport Committee and its subsidiary bodies

Documentation: ECE/TRANS/119 and Add.1.

6.	The Chairman briefed the Principal Working Party on the results of the first session of the Coordination Meeting of the ITC (9 June 1997) in which the future work of SC.1 was addressed. This Coordination Meeting started preparations for the decisions which ITC would have to make regarding its own work and the work of its subsidiary bodies. Regarding SC.1, two decisions should be taken: (1) the future status of the Principal Working Party

(i.e., to continue its work as a standing Working Party or to become an Ad Hoc Expert Group with a two-year mandate for resolving specific tasks); and

(2) the reduction of duration of meetings, if desirable.

7.	After a detailed discussion, the Working Party drew the following conclusions: (a) SC.1 should continue its status as a standing Working Party; (b) the agenda for the meetings should be formulated in cooperation with the Working Party's bureau, with items grouped into main categories

(e.g., road transport infrastructure, harmonization and facilitation issues, legal matters) and road traffic safety and there should be a clear indication of the dates and time when each category would be discussed in order to enable experts to participate in the meeting on selected topics; (c) in the preparation of the meetings of SC.1 due account should be taken of respective work undertaken in other international fora (e.g. ECMT and the European Commission); and (d) the meetings should be reduced to two days after the new procedure for adopting reports as called for in the ECE Plan of Action had been established.

REVISION OF THE PROGRAMME OF WORK FOR 1998-2002

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/1997/1.

8.	The Principal Working Party discussed the revision of its Programme of Work in light of the ECE reform process, and adopted it with modifications, including those proposed by WP.1 (contained in annex 1 to this Report).

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON TRANSPORT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

9.	The Chairman informed the Principal Working Party that the Preparatory Committee of the 1997 Regional Conference on Transport and the Environment had adopted the final documents for the Conference in Vienna (12-14 November 1997) as follows: (i) a Political Declaration outlining the main environmental impacts of transport; (ii) a Programme of Joint Action elaborating the practical implementation of solutions for problems cited in the Political Declaration; and (iii) legally binding instruments (i.e., amendments to the 1971 European Agreement supplementing the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic; a new legal instrument on the Adoption of the Uniform Conditions for Periodical Technical Inspections of Wheeled Vehicles and the Reciprocal Recognition of Such Inspections; Addendum 1 - Rule No. 1 on Uniform Provisions for Periodical Technical Inspections of Wheeled Vehicles with regard to the Protection of the Environment; and a Protocol on Combined Transport on Inland Waterways to the European Agreement on Important International Combined Transport Lines and Related Installations (AGTC)).

10.	It was noted that there remained a divergence of views on several elements in the final documents including the protection of sensitive areas as well as the implementation and follow-up to the Conference. Remaining areas of controversy could be taken up at a final session of the Preparatory Committee to be held in Vienna just preceding the Conference.

ROAD TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/1997/2 and Add. 1; TRANS/SC.1/1997/7; TRANS/SC.1/AC.5/30.

(a)	European Agreement on Main International Traffic Arteries (AGR)

11.	The Principal Working Party considered proposals for the extension of the E road network to the Caucasus and Central Asian States (TRANS/SC.1/1997/2,

annex 1), as well as proposals from the Russian Federation (TRANS/SC.1/1997/2/Add.1) and Romania (TRANS/SC.1/1997/7, paras. 3-4) on new

E roads.

12.	The representative of the Russian Federation informed the Working Party that a list of the international motorways of the CIS countries had been prepared and received the required approval, but the Protocol on its adoption had not yet been signed by the Governments concerned. The Protocol is expected to be signed before the end of the year.

13.	Due to insufficient information regarding the proposed roads, as well as the lack of sufficient evidence of the necessary agreement of neighbouring States, the Working Party decided to postpone its discussion on this item until the next session of the Ad hoc Meeting on the AGR to be held from

30 April to 1 May 1998 in Geneva. The secretariat would compile in a single document the above proposals, as well as any other proposals received before the deadline of 30 January 1998. The secretariat would, in addition, communicate with Governments and with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to confirm the validity of the proposals and the agreement of neighbouring States. The Working Party reiterated that official information from neighbouring States of countries proposing amendments to the AGR is a prerequisite for the discussion of such amendments in its meetings. The representative of Italy proposed that amendments should be supplemented, as much as possible, by maps and should only be proposed, except in special circumstances, when the proposed amendment fulfils the required parameters of Annex II of the AGR.

14.	The Working Party was informed that the instrument of accession to the AGR was received by the Government of Latvia on 12 June 1997, and entered into force on 10 September 1997, making Latvia the thirty-first Contracting Party to the Agreement.

15.	The Principal Working Party continued its discussion of issues arising from the Inventory of Main Standards and Parameters of the E Road Network. It recalled that at its last session it had decided that: (a) the interval of subsequent inventories should be every five years; and that (b) data to be collected should be the same as that in 1994, with the addition of information on the application of E road signing prescribed in Annex III to the AGR (TRANS/SC.1/359, para.11).

16.	Regarding the possibility of integrating the data collection effort of the Inventory with that of the five-yearly E Road Census Programme, it was noted that the 1995 E Road Census, which is being published this year, includes all of the technical and operational infrastructure parameters of the Inventory (characteristics of the road section by length, number of carriageways, number of traffic lanes, and average width of traffic lanes), in addition to other data, with the following exceptions: (a) design speeds; and (b) the average widths of traffic lanes, central reserves and emergency stopping strips.

17.	The Principal Working Party agreed to ask the secretariat to unify the Inventory of Main Standards and Parameters of the E Road Network and the

E Road Census, and to carry out the joint project for the first time in the year 2000 (to be published in 2002). The combined Traffic Census and Inventory of Main Standards and Parameters of the E Road Network would include, in addition to the other parameters usually covered in both exercises, data on (a) and (b) above, as well as the information on the application of E road signing. The technical and practical implications of combining the two projects could be considered at the Ad Hoc Meeting on the Road Traffic Census, scheduled to be held from 29 to 30 October 1998 in Geneva.

18.	The Working Party asked the secretariat, moreover, to continue exploring possible avenues of cooperation on the combined Traffic Census and Inventory of Main Standards and Parameters of the E Road Network Census and its GIS application with the European Commission (especially Eurostat's GISCO Project) and other international organizations.

(b)	Automation and Geographic Application of E Road Census

Documentation: TRANS/WP.6/1997/17.

19.	The Principal Working Party was informed about work under way in the context of the Working Party on Transport Statistics (WP.6) on the automation and geographic application of the E Road Census Programme. Using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, recently initiated within ECE, both flow data (volumes of traffic on the E road network, including average annual daily traffic, night traffic, holiday traffic and peak-hour traffic), as well as attribute data (length and characteristics of roads) will for the first time be digitally linked to geographic data (maps), allowing for greater accuracy, higher quality presentation of data and maps, and the facilitation of spatial analysis for transport infrastructure planning.

(c)	Trans-European North-South Motorway (TEM) Project

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/1997/3 and Informal document No.3.

20.	The Principal Working Party was informed of the latest developments in the TEM Project as reflected in the Work Programme, including items related to the Priority Corridors established at Helsinki. A number of TEM member countries expressed their continuing interest and support for the Project's activities. The representative of Romania asked the secretariat to transmit to all TEM member countries the revised Programme of Work of SC.1 (annex 1 to this Report), in order to promote better cooperation between SC.1 and TEM. The Working Party expressed its appreciation for TEM and asked to continue to be informed of its progress.

21.	The representative of Romania requested that a TEM map which appeared in Informal document No. 3 be corrected by the secretariat. It showed a motorway connection between Craiova (Romania) and Sofia (Bulgaria) via Bechet/Oreahova which had not been agreed. The national road between Craiova and Bechet was a second class road and there were no plans to make it a motorway in the future.

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

(a) Implementation of the AETR Agreement

Documentation:	TRANS/SC.1/1997/4; E/ECE/811 - E/ECE/TRANS/564 and

Amends. 1-3.

22.	The Principal Working Party recalled that it had, at its ninetieth session, established an informal group with the mandate to collect information on the implementation of the AETR provisions in various countries and to propose concrete actions to ensure the implementation would be effective. In this connection, the representative of the ITF conveyed the results of the meeting of the Informal Group (comprised of experts from France, Finland, the European Commission, IRU and ITF, as well as a representative of the ECE secretariat), which took place on 13 January 1997 in Geneva (TRANS/SC.1/1997/4).

23.	The Principal Working Party thanked the members of the Informal Group for their work, and considered the proposals in detail, namely annex 1 on the revision of the text of the AETR to establish higher levels of inspection of drivers' records and annex 2 which consists of recommendations and comments for the fair implementation of the AETR.

24.	The Working Party agreed to the text of annex 1 without change (contained in annex 2 to this Report). In annex 2 of document TRANS/SC.1/1997/4 it decided to delete the second sentence of paragraph 2 and to amend the text of paragraph 3, indent 4, to read "the possibility of temporarily immobilizing vehicles if their drivers, breaching the AETR, clearly presented a risk to road safety".

25.	The Principal Working Party underlined the need for EU member States to clarify the applicability of article 10, paragraph 1 (a), last sentence, to new tachographs to be introduced by a new European Commission directive, and to inform the Working Party accordingly.

26.	The Working Party agreed, moreover, to ask the secretariat to reconvene the Informal Group, if deemed necessary. It also requested the secretariat to prepare a consolidated text of the AETR, incorporating the proposed amendments, once adopted by the Working Party.

(b)	Development of provisions on the facilitation of international road transport

27.	The Principal Working Party took note that the Inland Transport Committee, at its fifty-ninth session, had noted that no progress had been achieved on R.E.4 and had invited the Working Party to undertake the development of a new set of provisions on the facilitation of international road transport (ECE/TRANS/119, para. 75). In this connection, the IRU offered to prepare a draft on a proposed new legal instrument, to be considered at the next session of the Working Party. Member Governments were strongly requested to provide input into: (a) elements to be contained in such an instrument and (b) elements of the present R.E.4 that would not be considered acceptable in any form.

28.	The representative of Romania offered his Government's assistance to the IRU in drafting a proposal for a new legal instrument on the facilitation of international road transport.

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

Documentation: Informal document: Report by Finland and Germany on "Barriers to Goods Transport Between East and West"; TRANS/SC.1/R.272.

29.	The Principal Working Party continued its discussion of obstacles to effective border crossing between Eastern and Western Europe and considered a report prepared by the Governments of Finland and Germany containing recommendations to improve the border crossing situation. The Chairman pointed out that the report called on international organizations including ECE, ECMT and the European Commission to address problems of border crossing through specific measures, such as the continued revision of the TIR Convention (ECE) and the forthcoming updating of a questionnaire on the removal of obstacles at border crossings for international goods transport (ECMT). The Working Party asked the secretariat to transform chapters 4 and 5 of the Finnish/German report into an official document for the consideration of the Working Party at its next session. If ECMT agreed, the Working Party could, in addition, consider the results of its work in order to cooperate in the preparation of concrete proposals toward the facilitation of road transport at East/West borders. In this connection, the Chairman made reference to the division of labour between ECE and ECMT wherein ECE focused on legal or technical solutions and ECMT on political aspects.

30.	The Principal Working Party highlighted the importance of the issue of border crossing as one of its priority areas in the coming years and decided:

(i)	to continue working to find legal, technical and administrative solutions to border crossing problems; (ii) to ask the Inland Transport Committee to accept the issue of border crossing as a cross-sectoral issue touching road and customs matters within the transport sector and in this connection to convene a half-day joint meeting of SC.1 and the autumn session of WP.30 (the Working Party on Customs Questions affecting Transport) as a first step to draw on the common experience of both groups toward the identification of solutions to border crossing problems; and (iii) to consider the possibility of organizing a Workshop in 1999 or 2000, under the auspices of the ECE Workshop Programme for Countries in Transition, on "Innovative Solutions to Border Crossing Problems between East and West", possibly in cooperation with the Governments of Germany and Finland and intergovernmental and

non-governmental organizations, such as the IRU, the ECMT and the EU (Phare/Tacis). In this connection, account should be taken of the results of related work in these organizations, as well as possible input from international financial institutions involved in transport and border crossing infrastructure financing (EBRD, IBRD, EIB, and private banks).

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

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

31.	The Principal Working Party was informed that the Inland Transport Committee, at its fifty-ninth session, had invited Contracting Parties to the CVR to consider the possibility of undertaking the procedure for the revision of the Convention and requested the Working Party to continue its work in this regard.

32.	The Working Party considered comments received from Governments (Finland, Greece and Romania) on the possible revision of the CVR as contained in TRANS/SC.1/1997/7, recalling that only countries Contracting Parties to the CVR could initiate the process of its revision. The IRU noted the importance of updating the CVR, without which passengers, as well as carriers, were subject to different legal regimes depending on where they boarded and arrived. Moreover, the liability limits set forth in the CVR were problematic as they were too limited for some countries and too high for others.

33.	At the suggestion of the IRU, the Principal Working Party agreed to ask the secretariat to contact the Permanent Missions of countries Contracting Parties to the CVR, as well as the Permanent Missions of Finland, Greece and Romania, to solicit their opinion on the possible revision and to stimulate the interest of Governments, not only from the perspective of transport issues, but also financial and economic issues.

34.	The representative of the Czech Republic expressed his Government's readiness on the revision, although he had some hesitation regarding the process of revision.

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

(i)	International Motor Insurance System (Green Card)

Documentation: Informal Documents Nos. 4 and 5.

35.	The Principal Working Party took note of the Chart of the Inter-Bureaux Agreements (Informal document No. 4) and the Report of the President of the Council of Bureaux (Informal document No. 5), a summary of which is contained in annex 3 to this Report. The Principal Working Party expressed its appreciation for the information provided by the Council, noting in particular the section on Visitor Protection, which is the "flip-side" of the Green Card, protecting victims of accidents when abroad.

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

Documentation: TRANS/R.429.

36.	The Principal Working Party was informed that The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia had acceded to the CMR on 20 June 1997, effective

18 September 1997.

(iii)	Consideration of revision or Protocol to the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR)

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/1997/7; TRADE/WP.4/R.1096, para. 2.9.3.

37.	The Working Party considered the possibility of developing a new protocol to the CMR, in line with the request by the former Working Party on the Facilitation of International Trade Procedures (WP.4) to integrate electronic data interchange into CMR procedures (e.g., customs and other documents normally attached to the CMR Consignment Note).

38.	The IRU said it felt that the CMR was the most successful of the ECE transport conventions, providing a single world-wide transport regime extended to the Atlantic and the Pacific, and for this reason supported a protocol to the existing convention to encompass EDI procedures.

39.	The Working Party agreed to inform the Centre for Facilitation Practices and Procedures for Administration, Commerce and Transport (CEFACT) (formerly the Working Party on the Facilitation of International Trade Procedures (WP.4) of the scope of the CMR (i.e., that it includes not only domestic but international transport and not only inland transport but air and shipping as well) and ask them to clarify their proposal regarding the incorporation of EDI procedures.

(iv)	Fiscal issues relating to road haulage

Documentation: Informal document.

40.	The Working Party considered an informal document by the IRU on the taxation of road transport in Central and Eastern Europe and asked the IRU to submit it in a short form as an official document for the next session.

ROAD TRANSPORT SAFETY

Documentation: TRANS/SC.1/WP.1/56 and TRANS/SC.1/WP.1/58.

41.	The Principal Working Party endorsed the reports of the Working Party on Road Traffic Safety on its twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth sessions and adopted the draft amendments to the Consolidated Resolution on Road Traffic (R.E.1) contained in the above-mentioned reports. The draft programme of work of WP.1 and the text of the resolution on the Third Road Safety Week in the ECE Region (1-7 May 2000) were also approved. The Principal Working Party noted, moreover, that WP.1 had decided, in principle, that it would no longer base any discussion on informal documents but only on official documents translated into all three working languages of the ECE.

42.	The representative of Italy noted that in document TRANS/SC.1/295/Rev.3, annex 4, model signs A and B for a tourist information point should be brown in colour and not blue or black.

43.	The Principal Working Party had an exchange of views on the future status of WP.1, in particular whether it should continue to report through SC.1 to the Inland Transport Committee or directly to the ITC. Some Governments felt that all road-related issues (e.g., infrastructure, safety, border-crossing) should be dealt with in one forum, and wanted to retain an influence over the Programme of Work of WP.1; whereas other Governments questioned whether there was any value added in transmitting decisions through SC.1 to the ITC, and felt that reporting directly to the ITC would be more efficient. As no consensus could be reached, the Working Party decided to request the ITC to take up the issue at its session in January 1998.

ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES IN TRANSITION

44.	The Principal Working Party took note of the reports of three Workshops held under the auspices of the UN/ECE Workshop Programme for Countries in Transition as follows:

(a)	Workshop on Transport Facilitation (Tashkent, 1996);

(b)	Second UN/ECE and Eurostat Workshop: "Improvement in Statistics on

the Transport of Goods by Road" (Berlin, 1996);

(c)	Workshop on Urban Passenger Transport and Environmental Statistics

(Washington, D.C., 1997).

45.	In light of the success of these Workshops, the Principal Working Party reiterated its interest in the organization of a future workshop on border crossing problems as proposed in paragraph 29 (iii) above.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR THE NEXT SESSION

46.	The Principal Working Party was informed that this was

Mr. Stefan Schimming's last session as its Chairman. It thanked Mr. Schimming for his very active chairmanship of SC.1 and wished him every success in his new appointment.

47.	The Principal Working Party elected Mr. J. Alaluusua (Finland) as Chairman and Mr. A. Pinson (Russian Federation) as Vice-Chairman of its ninety-second session.

OTHER BUSINESS

(a)	Circulation of selected transport information

48.	The Principal Working Party agreed to delete this item from its agenda for future sessions since the issues cited were already covered under other agenda items.

(b)	Road transport crime

49.	The Principal Working Party took note of document TRANS/SC.1/WP.1/1997/6 on road transport crime as well as two informal documents transmitted by the ECMT (a Resolution on Crime in International Transport and a background report on Crime and Fraud in the Transport Sector). It decided to take up this issue in greater depth at its next session and asked Governments to provide the secretariat with their comments on the ECMT documents, as well as any information on measures taken to combat road transport crime in their respective countries.

50.	The IRU informed the Working Party about a joint publication (IRU/ECMT) on Safe and Secure Parking Places in Europe for Trucks which would be available in 1998.

(c)	Date of next session

51.	The Principal Working Party was informed that its next session was scheduled to be held from 19 to 21 October 1998. The deadline for any official documents for the session was 15 June 1998. Concerning the next session of the Ad hoc Meeting on the AGR to be held from 30 April to

1 May 1998, the Principal Working Party agreed to a document deadline of

30 January 1998.

(d)	Lifting of restrictions on the distribution of documents

52.	The Principal Working Party noted that its documentation would no longer be restricted and that a new numbering system had therefore been adopted as indicated in the box on the cover of the present Report.

ADOPTION OF THE REPORT

53.	The Principal Working Party adopted the report on its ninety-first session.

________________

Annex 1

DRAFT PROGRAMME OF WORK FOR 1998-2002 */

PROGRAMME ACTIVITY 02.2: ROAD TRANSPORT

02.2.1	Road transport infrastructure	Priority: 1

(a)	Implementation of and amendments to the [Review of the situation
concerning the implementation and possible amendments to the] European
Agreement on Main International Traffic Arteries (AGR).

Description: In order to adapt the European road network to [present and] future requirements and to extend it to central Asian and Caucasus ECE member States the Principal 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, [as well as for] taking into account the evolution of traffic flows [evolution].

Work to be undertaken:

(i)	Consideration of trends [new challenges] and developments in road transport including road traffic flows [in the field of the] in order to establish[ment of] a coherent and efficient international road infrastructure network in the ECE region. (Continuing)

(ii)	[Periodic] Review of the [structure of the] E road network and

conditions to which it should conform and adoption of necessary

amendments to Annexes I and II of the Agreement. (Continuing)

(iii)	Consideration of the AGR Agreement in the light of new east-west traffic flows with a view to [especially] introducing main international road links in eastern European, Central Asian and Caucasus ECE member States in the E road network. (Continuing)

[implementing and whenever feasible and appropriate improving

existing standards and operational parameters;

taking into account new east-west traffic flows;

__________________

*/	New programme elements or elements replacing old text adopted by the Inland Transport Committee at its fifty-ninth session are indicated in bold characters; programme elements proposed for deletion appear in square brackets.

raising environmental, energy and safety standards.

taking into account the UN/ECE Conventions on the Environment.

(Continuing)]

(iv)	Consideration of the AGR Agreement in the light of other related UN/ECE legal instruments and related work of other organizations with a view to enhancing AGR provisions and standards which have an impact on road safety, environmental protection and energy saving. (Continuing)

(v)[(iv)]	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 [to be analyzed together] 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) [motor traffic census on E roads]. (Every five years; next in 2000)

(b)	[Special Project:] 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 Principal Working Party on Road Transport will continue its close cooperation with the TEM. [Within the framework of UN/ECE, the TEM countries have established an appropriate administrative and financial framework, with the aim of assisting the construction of TEM as part of an integrated European international road infrastructure. Close collaboration exists between the TEM and ECE relevant work.]

Work to be undertaken:

(i)	Review of progress made in the TEM Project and consideration of possibilities to contribute to [for] its further development [of the TEM project] (e.g., combined transport, financing). (2000) [(Continuing)]

(ii)	Consideration of the possible application [utilization] of [the] results achieved [both under] by the TEM Project [and in other UN/ECE activities in the field of road infrastructure, including] to the implementation of the AGR [, to be mutually utilized]. (2000) (Continuing)

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 Principal Working Party on Road Transport will elaborate and update as

necessary appropriate [suitable] international instruments [and update or supplement existing ones] and study [of] 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 [In order to ensure and control the implementation (monitoring) of] the AETR Agreement [the Principal Working Party will take appropriate action in this regard]. (Continuing)

(b)	Development of new provisions or a new legal instrument on the facilitation of road transport [Consideration of the content and the status of reservations to the Consolidated Resolution on the Facilitation of Road Transport (R.E.4) taking into account the new pan-European transport context], taking into account, when relevant, the Consolidated Resolution on the Facilitation of Road Transport (R.E.4). (2000) [(Continuing)]

(c)	Consideration of new challenges, opportunities and developments in [the field of] the facilitation of border crossings and [the] consideration of possibilities for effective measures other than legal measures on border crossing and border facilities for road transport between eastern and western Europe. [(1997)] (Continuing)

(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. [(1997)] (1998)

(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)

(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. (1999)

(g)[(e)] Consideration of [Review of the situation and] questions concerning
facilitation of international road transport with regard to the Inter-
Bureau Agreements on International Motor Insurance Card (Green Card).
(Continuing)

(h)	Harmonization of fiscal measures in order to encourage a rational tax structure and to avoid discrimination regarding taxation on international road transport. (2000)

(i)	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. (2000)

02.2.3 Road traffic safety	Priority: 1

Description: Mindful of the world-wide scope of its work, the Working Party on Road Traffic Safety (SC.l/WP.l) will examine matters and adopt measures aimed at improving road traffic safety. To this end, it will [and] consider, inter alia, the implementation of the Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals and the European Agreements supplementing them and [the] elaborate[ion of] proposals for updating these legal instruments as well as the Consolidated Resolutions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals (R.E.l and R.E.2).

Work to be undertaken:

(a)[(e)]	Monitoring and encouraging the implementation of the Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals and of the European Agreements supplementing them, and [consideration of] elaboration of amendment proposals to these legal instruments with a view to [possible] raising of road safety standards. [(As required)] (Continuing)

(b)[(g)]	Revision [Review content] of the 1975 Agreement on Minimum Requirements for the Issue and Validity of Driving Permits (APC). (To be undertaken [at an appropriate time)] by an ad hoc informal group of experts with a renewable mandate of two years).

(c)	Development of new recommendations to be included in the Consolidated Resolutions on Road Traffic and Road Signs and Signals (R.E.l and R.E.2) and updating of the existing ones (in cooperation with other subsidiary bodies of ITC) for the purpose of ensuring higher standards of safety on roads. (Continuing)

(d)[(a)]	Preparation of the third ECE Road Safety Week with a view to promoting greater partnership between public administrations, private sector organizations and road-users aimed at reducing traffic accidents involving vulnerable road users. (2000)

(e)[(d)]	Exchange of information on national road safety programmes, in particular taking into account financing of road safety activities, and on road safety regulations and requirements in force in member States and circulation of such information in order to avail Governments with the practice and experience gained on these matters. (Continuing)

(f)	Assisting countries in transition in the establishment of sound and up-to-date traffic safety practice and procedures and [in] organizing to this end workshops or seminars on road safety. (Continuing)

(g)[(b)]	Consideration [once a year] of [a] selected timely topics related to road safety in the form of an in-depth discussion based on papers prepared by experts and undertaking [an] appropriate follow-up action with a view to finding concerted solutions to the most urgent problems in the field of traffic safety. (Continuing)

(h)	Consideration of [the] possible approaches to the work on a United Nations Long-Term Strategy on Road Safety aimed at the establishment within the UN of a concerted programme of action in this regard. [(1997)](1998)

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Annex 2

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AETR

Proposals for incorporation in a revised AETR

(Note: New text is in bold type)

Article 12 - Measures of enforcement of the Agreement

1.	Replace paragraph 1 by the following text:

1.	Each Contracting Party shall adopt all appropriate measures to ensure observance of the provisions of this Agreement, in particular by an (*) adequate level of roadside (*) checks and checks performed on the premises of undertakings. The competent administrations of the Contracting Parties shall keep one another informed of the general measures adopted for this purpose.

(a)	During each calendar year the competent authorities shall check a minimum of 2% of the daily record sheets of drivers of vehicles to which this Agreement applies. The checks shall be divided as equally as possible between roadside checks and checks on the premises of undertakings, with no less than 30% of the checks performed by each of these methods;

(b)	The elements of roadside checks shall include: daily driving and rest periods, breaks, the last weekly rest period and the functioning of the recording equipment;

The elements of checks on the premises of undertakings shall include, in addition to compliance with Article 10, paragraph 3: compensation for daily and weekly rest periods reduced in accordance with Article 8, paragraphs 1 and 3, weekly rest periods and weekly and two-weekly driving limits; and

(c)	The checks shall be carried out without discrimination of vehicles and drivers, whether resident or not.

2.	Replace paragraph 3 by the following text:

3.	Within the framework of this mutual assistance the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall regularly send one another all available information concerning:

breaches of this Agreement committed by non-residents and any penalties imposed for such breaches;

penalties imposed by a Contracting Party on its residents for such breaches committed on the territory of other Contracting Parties (*).

Contracting Parties shall work in cooperation with each other in the organization of concerted roadside checks.

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(*) English language only.

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Annex 3

SUMMARY OF THE REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF BUREAUX

A.	General Assembly of the Council of Bureaux

1.	The last meeting of the General Assembly of the Council of Bureaux, held in Budapest on 5 and 6 June 1997, took a number of important decisions regarding the Green Card System.

Future scope of the Green Card System

2.	It was decided to extend the list of European countries to include Armenia and Azerbaijan. The requirement for the existence of a compulsory third party insurance law in a country applying for membership was maintained, as was the "transitional membership" category. The proposals in respect of financial guarantees in applicant countries (option 1, the combination of a bank guarantee or cash deposit and an excess of loss reinsurance contract, and option 2, a reinsurance and "full service contract" with a Western European insurance company) were also unanimously approved.

Membership of the Green Card System

3.	The Bureaux of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine were admitted for membership, the latter two countries as "transitional members". The active participation of Bosnia-Herzegovina in the System is subject to the receipt of evidence that it has arranged for reinsurance cover and that it accepts responsibility for outstanding claims arising from accidents at the time when it was part of The former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

B.	Protection of visitors

4.	The Protection of Visitors Agreement has the object of providing assistance to victims of motor vehicle accidents which occur outside their countries of residence, by the Green Card Bureau in their country of residence, in conjunction with the Bureaux in the country of the accident. The Agreement is signed bilaterally among members and there are currently 165 in operation. The Agreement is being well received by victims of accidents in countries other than those in which they are resident since it helps them to acquire all the official information and documents which they need to settle their claims and to overcome language and procedural difficulties.

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