UNITED NATIONS E Economic and Social Council Distr. GENERAL ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 11 December 2007 Original: ENGLISH ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE INLAND TRANSPORT COMMITTEE Seventieth session Geneva, 19-21 February 2008 ANNOTATED AGENDA FOR THE SEVENTIETH SESSION 1/ Addendum Annotations to the Provisional Agenda and Suggested Timetable for the Committee’s Seventieth Session Part 1 of the session - Tuesday a.m., 19 February 2008 Item 1. Adoption of the agenda Documentation: ECE/TRANS/199. I. MINISTERIAL SEGMENT Item 2. Discussion by Ministers of Transport of countries in Euro-Asian region on future development of Euro-Asian transport links Documentation: Bureau Informal Document No.13, ECE/TRANS/2008/12, UNECE-UNESCAP Study on Developing Euro-Asian Transport links. 1/ For reasons of economy, delegates are requested to bring copies of all relevant documents to the session. There will be no formal documentation available in the conference room. Before the session, documents may be downloaded from the UNECE Transport Division's website (http://www.unece.org/trans/main/itc/itc.html) or from the public UN Official Document System’s (ODS) website (http://documents.un.org/). During the session, official documents may be obtained from the UNOG Documents Distribution Section (Room C.337, third floor, Palais des Nations). Delegates are requested to complete the registration form available for download at the UNECE Transport Division's website (http://www.unece.org/trans/registfr.html). It should be transmitted to the UNECE secretariat no later than one week prior to the session by email (Michalis.Adamantiadis@unece.org or Violet.Yee@unece.org) or by fax (41 22-917 0039). Upon arrival at the Palais des Nations, delegates should obtain an identification badge at the UNOG Security and Safety Section, located at the Pregny Gate (14, Avenue de la Paix). In case of difficulty, please contact the secretariat by telephone (ext. 73263). For a map of the Palais des Nations and other useful information, see website http://www.unece.org/meetings/practical.htm. GE.07- ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 2 1. The Committee may wish to note that at its June 2007 meeting, the Bureau of the Inland Transport Committee agreed that the first day of the seventieth session of the ITC would be devoted to a Meeting of Ministers of Transport of countries in the Euro-Asian region. 2. Following the above, Ministers of Transport of Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, China, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan are invited to participate in a policy debate on developing Euro-Asian transport links. Provisional Agenda of the Meeting will be circulated as Bureau Informal Document No.13. 3. The Vice-president of the European Commission responsible for Transport is also invited to participate in the policy debate. 4. The Minister of Transport of Mongolia, representing a country that expressed interest to be associated with the future work on developing Euro-Asian transport links, is also invited to participate. 5. Ministers and/or high-level officials from other UNECE-UNESCAP countries as well as high-level representatives from European, Asian and international transport related organizations and IFIs interested on the subject or willing to be associated and support the continuation of the relevant UNECE-UNESCAP joint work in the future are also invited to participate. 6. Participants will be informed by UNECE and UNESCAP secretariats on the main results of the UNDA funded project on developing Euro-Asian transport links, which was jointly implemented by two regional commissions in the course of 2003-2007 (ECE/TRANS/2008/12). A joint UNECE-UNESCAP study containing results and conclusions of the work as well as recommendations for participating Governments will be published by the seventieth session of the ITC and will be made available to the participants. Final draft of the study may be downloaded from http://www.unece.org/trans/main/eatl/intro.html Item 3. Signing of Joint Statement/Adoption of Joint Declaration by Ministers of Transport of countries in Euro-Asian region Documentation: Bureau Informal Document No. 5 and Informal Document. 7. Participating Ministers from countries in the Euro-Asian region may wish, on this occasion, to consider adopting or even signing on behalf of their Governments a Joint Statement or Declaration on Future Development of Euro-Asian Transport Links. Draft Joint Statement on Future Development of Euro-Asian Transport Links will be circulated as Bureau Informal Document No.5. 8. By signing the Joint Statement, the Ministers would confirm their support to the UNECE- UNESCAP joint project and its continuation, endorse the identified Euro-Asian routes and their priority development, support the creation of a mechanism that would ensure efficient coordination and monitoring of project related activities in future, and invite Governments, international organizations and potential donors to consider providing the needed financial assistance to the UNECE-UNESCAP ensuring the uninterrupted continuation of the project in a new Phase II (2008-2011). The joint UNECE-UNESCAP project proposal for a new Phase II (2008- 2011) will be circulated as an Informal Document. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 3 Part 2 of the session –Tuesday p.m., 19 February 2008 II. QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE IN GENERAL Item 4. Results of the Committee’s Bureau Meetings Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/1 and Add.1. 9. The Committee will have before it document ECE/TRANS/2008/1 and Add.1 containing the results of the Bureau meetings held in 2007 since the last session of the Committee. 10. The Committee may wish to refer to the decisions of the Bureau under the relevant items of its agenda. 11. The Committee may also wish to note that at its June meeting, the Bureau, agreed with a new structure of the ITC sessions proposed by the secretariat (Annex 1 to the List of Decisions) dividing the ITC sessions in three parts – policy-oriented, technical and reporting. It also asked the secretariat to proceed with the organization of the 70th session of the Committee along these lines. These include holding of a Meeting of Ministers of Transport of countries in the Euro- Asian region at its first part, focusing the discussions on issues that need consideration and require decisions by the ITC at its second part, and adoption of a list of main decisions at its third part, while all items of informative character and formal approval (items 12, 15 and 16 of the agenda) would be considered as a whole and on the basis of the annotations circulated by the secretariat. 12. The Committee may further wish to note that consequently the adoption of the report of its 70th session would be limited to the adoption of a list of the main decisions during the second part, while the report of the first part (Meeting of Ministers), in the form of Chairman’s conclusions, would be circulated at a later stage, together with the full complete report of the session. ITC delegated would be able to make comments to the full complete report, with the exception of the decisions adopted. However, in case there are comments or objections by ITC delegates on issues under items 10, 13 and 14 of the agenda, these would be considered and reflected as appropriate in the list of main decisions. 13. The Bureau may wish focus its attention on those items of the agenda that need consideration, require decisions or have a political nature. Item 5. Matters arising from the Economic Commission for Europe, the Economic and Social Council and other United Nations bodies and Conferences Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/2. 14. The Committee will have before it document ECE/TRANS/2008/2 providing an overview of the matters arising from the sixty-second session of the Commission, the outcome of the high- level panel on “secure transport development: a key to regional cooperation” held in April 2007, and the recommendations of its Bureau for a possible follow-up to the above mentioned transport panel, of interest to the Committee. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 4 15. This document also presents an overview of two resolutions of the sixty-first session of the General Assembly pertaining to the cooperation between the United Nations and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) and the Almaty Programme of Action and its mid- term review, adopted in October and December 2006, respectively, as well as the resolutions of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, and on the Europe-Africa fixed link through the Strait of Gibraltar, adopted at its 2007 substantive session. 16. The Committee is invited to consider the proposed follow-up actions to the high-level panel on secure transport development and to take these resolutions into account when adopting its programme of work under agenda item 15. Item 6. Implementation of the priorities of the UNECE Reform for strengthening some activities of the Committee Documentation: Informal Document. 17. The Committee will have before it an Informal Document prepared by the secretariat on the basis of the recommendations made by its Bureau and the respective subsidiary bodies, presenting an outline of the progress on the implementation of the UNECE reform in the field of transport and on the specific requests to the Committee, contained in the Work Plan on the UNECE Reform. 18. The Committee will be informed orally by its Chairman and Vice-Chairpersons on the results of their meeting with the Executive Committee on 9 February 2007. The Committee may wish to note that the Executive Committee approved the changes of programme of work 2006- 2010 of the Committee and its proposals on the implementation of the UNECE reform in the field of transport and the revision of its intergovernmental structure. 19. The Committee may also wish to note the request of the Executive Committee to all Sectoral Committees, when reviewing their programme of work, to identify areas where gender mainstreaming is relevant. 20. The Committee may wish to consider the above in conjunction with the outcome of the discussions under below agenda items and request its Chairman and Vice-Chairpersons to report on the progress of implementation of the UNECE reform in the field of transport to the Executive Committee at its meeting tentatively scheduled on 22 February 2008. (a) Border crossing and trade facilitation activities Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/3, ECE/TRANS/2008/13. 21. In line with the decision of the ITC Bureau, the secretariat has prepared a “road map” on strengthening UNECE border crossing and trade facilitation activities in cooperation with the Committee on Trade (ECE/TRANS/2008/3). The Committee may wish to approve the proposals contained therein. 22. The Committee may wish to also consider document ECE/TRANS/2008/ 13 on restrictions imposed on the quota of road transport permits, submitted by the Government of ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 5 Turkey, and recognising that restrictions to road transport permits may pose obstacles to road transport operators of some ECE member countries, request SC.1 to deal with this matter, and report to it at its next session, without excluding that the matter could be also addressed in the framework of future cooperation between ITC and CT. (b) THE PEP and environmental aspects of transport Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/4; ECE/AC.21/2007/10. 23. In line with the decision of the ITC Bureau, the secretariat has prepared a note on strengthening environmental and health aspects of transportation by possibly aligning the UNECE transport infrastructure agreements with the ESPOO Convention on environmental impact assessment ((ECE/TRANS/2008/4). The Committee may wish to consider and approve the approach to be taken to strengthen these inter-sectoral activities. 24. The Committee may wish to take note of the report of THE PEP Steering Committee on its fifth session (16-17 April 2007) that provides an overview of the main activities undertaken within THE PEP during the past year (ECE/AC.21/2007/10). The report also provides information on the preparations for the third High-Level Meeting on Transport, Health and Environment, to be held in autumn 2008, which is expected to provide guidance on the future strategy and work programme of THE PEP. (c) Implementation and monitoring of legal instruments Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/9. 25. In line with the decision of the Bureau, the secretariat has prepared a note (ECE/TRANS/2008/9) on strengthening and monitoring of the implementation of Vienna Conventions and the AETR. The note also provides information on main implications and challenges from the introduction of the digital tachograph in non-EU countries that are Contracting Parties to the AETR. 26. The Committee may wish to consider the matter and provide guidance for future work to be undertaken in this field. (d) Euro-Asian transport links Documentation: Bureau Informal Document No.6. 27. The Committee may wish to note that at its 20th session and first informal meeting on EATL, held in Geneva 12-13 September 2007, WP.5 in view of the importance of the development of Euro-Asian transport links, the support expressed by the Committee at its previous sessions for the continuation of the UNECE-UNECSAP Euro-Asian transport links project and the tangible results produced by it decided to propose the ITC to assign the monitoring and coordination responsibility of future work on further developing the EATL to ECE-ESCAP Expert Group established under the project. 28. This group would function under WP.5 as an ad-hoc Group of Experts according to the ECE Rules and Procedures for a period of two years (2008-2009) with possible further extension ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 6 if necessary and appropriate. The group would be composed of national focal points/experts nominated by the Member States of the UNECE and UNESCAP involved in the UNDA funded UNECE-UNESCAP Project on developing Euro-Asian transport links, jointly elaborated by UNECE and UNESCAP in the course of 2003-2007, as well as experts from other UNECE- UNESCAP member countries interested in being associated with it, and of concerned international governmental and non-governmental organizations, having experience in various aspects relevant to its work. The TOR for the Group of Experts on Euro-Asian Transport Links will be circulated in as Bureau Informal Document No.6. 29. The Committee may wish to consider and approve the establishment of the Group of Experts on Euro-Asian transport links and its membership, including the nomination procedure and subsequently submit the proposed establishment to the UNECE Executive Committee for approval. 30. The Committee may also wish to consider inviting the Working Party on Intermodal Transport and Logistics, the Working Party of Customs Matters affecting Transport and other Working Parties concerned to participate in the work of the Group so as to ensure necessary coordination of related activities within the secretariat. (e) TIR Convention and improving transparency Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.30/2006/9/Rev.1. 31. The Committee may wish to note that, following the audit by the UN Office of Internal Oversight (OIOS) of the UNECE/IRU agreement, which had taken place between March and May 2006, the UNECE had undertaken all efforts to implement the OIOS’ seven recommendations (full text of the audit is contained in document ECE/TRANS/WP.30/2006/9/Rev.1) aimed at improving the transparency of the TIR system. 32. The Committee may wish to also note that, as a number of recommendations referred to, at that time, future actions, which could only be addressed in the course of 2007, recommendations 1 to 5 have been implemented and, in the meantime, closed by OIOS. Particular reference should be made to recommendations 01 (the inclusion of specific requirements in the audit certificates) and 02 (proposal to amend the provisions with regard to the financing mechanism of the Executive Board (TIRExB) and the TIR secretariat – due for adoption by the TIR Administrative Committee at its February 2008 session). OIOS agreed to the UNECE’s jointly addressing of outstanding recommendations 06 and 07 (on the submission of the eTIR-Project to the UN ITC Management Group and UN ICT Board and the implications of the possible UNECE involvement in the eTIR Project, due for submission by the end of 2007). The Committee may wish to be informed by the secretariat of the latest developments in this field. 33. Furthermore, the Committee may wish to take note that, on 29 October 2007, a new agreement on the functioning of the TIR system was signed by the UNECE Executive Secretary, Mr. Marek Belka, and the IRU Secretary General, Mr. Martin Marmy. In line with the recommendations by OIOS, the agreement now contains a specific annex dealing with guidelines and terms of reference for external audit of IRU accounts used for invoicing and the advance transfer of the money required to finance the operation of the TIRExB and the TIR secretariat. The agreement is valid for 3 years and expected to be renewed not later than 2010. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 7 34. The Committee may wish to take note that the ITC Bureau at its seventh meeting supported the decision by the TIRExB to study all relevant issues concerning the price of TIR Carnets at the national level. (f) Intersectoral cooperation between the ITC and the Conference of European Statisticians Documentation: Bureau Informal Document No.8. 35. The Committee will be informed about the new online Transport Statistics Database and the cooperation between the Inland Transport Committee and the Conference of European Statisticians. A note on the progress of cooperation between the ITC and the Conference of European Statisticians will be circulated as Bureau Informal Document No.8. Part 2 of the session (cont’d) –Wednesday a.m., 20 February 2008 Item 7. Transport and security Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/6. 36. The secretariat will provide an update concerning the work undertaken by the Multidisciplinary Expert Group on Inland Transport Security. The ITC may wish to take note of recent developments which are not described in ECE/TRANS/2008/6. Item 8. Assistance to countries with economies in transition Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.5/2007/9, Informal Document. (a) UN Development Account Project on Capacity Building for developing Interregional Transport Linkages 37. The Committee may wish to note the results of the United Nations Development Account funded Project on capacity- building in developing interregional transport links, which has been implemented by the five regional over the period 2003-2007, as reflected in document ECE/TRANS/WP.5/2007/9 and an Informal Document on operational activities January- December 2007. 38. The Committee may wish to also note that, in six Expert Group meetings organized under the project, of which four under UNECE-UNESCAP project component on Euro-Asian transport links, Government representatives from participating countries identified the main road, rail, and road/rail/sea routes as well as the main transhipment points and ports of interregional importance connecting Europe-Asia-Middle East and Africa to be considered for priority development and cooperation. Non-physical obstacles along the routes have also been addressed within the Project. 39. Furthermore, the Committee may wish to note that project results in 2007 include: Organizations by UNECE of three capacity-building national workshops on the facilitation of international transport along the Euro-Asian transport links, which were kindly hosted by the Governments of Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine in Minsk (May 2007), Chisinau (November ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 8 2007) and Kiev (December 2007); coorganization together with ECA of a visit to Barcelona Port and adjacent Freight Village (Logistic Center) as well as a workshop on the developments of ports infrastructure and management, which was kindly hosted by the Government of Spain and Barcelona port Authority (September 2007); and coorganization together with ESCWA, ESCAP and ECA two interregional seminars kindly hosted by the Governments of Egypt, and United Arab Emirates in Cairo (June 2007) and Abu-Dhabi (October 2007 - final seminar under the project), on economic assessment of international transport links and transport facilitation as well as on sharing best practices, identifying lessons learnt from the implementation of the project and considering ways and means to continue and further strengthening interregional cooperation in the field of transport. 40. The Committee may wish to note also that experts participating at the final seminar requested the regional commissions and member countries to continue working together in order to enable countries optimize outputs under this project and explore further funding towards this end, while progressing the work through their own expertise and resources 41. The Committee may wish to consider above and ask UNECE and other regional commissions to continue and further strengthen their cooperation aimed at developing interregional transport links and sharing best practices, including through elaboration of a joint proposal for a new Development Account Project on transport corridors and routes. (b) Activities of the TEM and TER Projects and implementation of their Master Plan 42. The Committee will be informed orally by the TEM and TER Project Managers and the secretariat on the recent developments of the projects, including the implementation of the TEM and TER Master Plan, the progress of preparation of its revision in 2008-2009 and the forthcoming accession of Belarus to the projects. 43. The Committee may wish to reiterate its support to this activity and invite the Steering Committees of the TEM and TER Projects, in close cooperation with the secretariat and the concerned Governments, to continue pursuing the follow-up actions recommended in the Master Plan, including monitoring of its implementation and its revision in 2008-2009. 44. The Committee may wish also to invite the Governments of Eastern and South-Eastern European countries that are not yet members to the TEM and TER Projects to consider full participation in the projects and signing of the respective Cooperation Agreements. (c) Other activities and fund-raising issues 45. The Committee may wish to note the activities aimed at assisting countries with economies in transition, undertaken in the year 2007, as reflected in document ECE/TRANS/WP.5/2007/9 and the noted Informal Document, particularly related to the Special programme for Economies of Central Asia (SPECA), the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC), the Organization for security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), advisory workshops and missions. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 9 46. The Committee may wish to note that a number of capacity building projects have been elaborated by the secretariat, for the implementation of which extra budgetary funding is needed. 47. The Committee may wish to reiterate its request that adequate recourses be made available in the secretariat for the substantive backstopping and further development of these activities and encourage member countries to make voluntary contributions to the Trust Fund for Assistance to Countries in Transition (TFACT) III. QUESTIONS DEALT WITH BY THE COMMITTEE’S SUBSIDIARY BODIES Item 9. Issues that need consideration and require decisions by the Committee (a) Report on and follow-up to the ECE-ESCAP Project “Development of Euro- Asian transport links” Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.5/42. 48. The Committee may wish to note that, as requested by the Working Party on Transport Trends and Economics, an Informal meeting on Euro-Asian transport links was held on 12 September 2007. National focal points from 14 countries involved in the Euro-Asian transport links project were among the participants to the meeting together with representatives from other UNECE member countries and the UNESCAP secretariat. Representatives of member Governments and international organisations proposed a number of actions towards further strengthening the work of the WP.5 on Euro-Asian transport links, which were adopted by the Working Party at its session that followed the Informal meeting (ECE/TRANS/WP.5/42). In addition, a Workshop on “Transport infrastructure development in the context of Euro-Asian transport links – Experiences based on the implementation of TEM and TER Projects”, organized by the WP.5 in collaboration with the UNECE TEM and UNECE TER Projects highlighted how the experiences of the two Projects could be best used to ensure a more coherent development of Euro-Asian transport links in the future. 49. The Committee may also wish to reiterate its support to this activity and invite UNESCAP to continue and further strengthen its close cooperation with the UNECE secretariat and the concerned countries for the successful continuation of the work on developing Euro- Asian transport links and take an active role in the work of the new ad-hoc Group of Experts. (b) Activities related to seaport connections to the hinterland Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.5/42, Bureau Informal Document No.12. 50. The Committee is invited to consider and approve decision taken by the Working Party on Transport Trends and Economics at its twentieth session (ECE/TRANS/WP.5/42) to undertake the following course of action in its future activities in this field: (a) share experiences and best practices, including through an international conference, which the Greek Government already kindly offered to host; (b) collect information on UNECE seaport connections to the hinterland with a few indicators which would facilitate and support analytical work; and, (c) take stock of the situation in UNECE regarding problematic areas in their connectivity with inland transport modes dealing with capacity issues. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 10 51. The Committee may further wish to approve the Working Party’s decision to establish an ad hoc Group of Experts on Seaports Connections to the Hinterland, and its Terms of Reference (Bureau Informal Document No.12), including the nomination procedure and subsequently submit the proposed establishment to the UNECE Executive Committee for approval. In view of a decision to hold the International Conference, the Group would also steer the preparation of the Conference to ensure the necessary quality, relevance and effectiveness of its outcome. The Group of Experts should be composed of experts on seaports and other transport modes having experience, in particular, with issues related to interconnections between maritime and other transport modes, appointed by the member States of the UNECE as well as representatives of relevant international governmental and non-governmental organizations. The Group of Experts will report to the Working Party and will collaborate with the Working Party on Intermodal Transport and Logistics, UNCTAD and other relevant bodies within the UN system 52. The Committee may also wish to thank the Greek Government for its kind offer to host the Conference. (c) European Agreement concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) Documentation: ECE/TRANS/SC.1/381. 53. Following the decisions adopted by SC.1 (16-18 October 2007) regarding the amendments of the AETR in order to harmonise it with the EU legislation concerning driving and rest times of professional drivers and on strengthening compliance with these rules, the Committee may wish to discuss the orientations to be given on the main point that is still controversial. In this regard, the Committee may wish to authorise an exceptional session of SC.1 in May 2008 in order to accelerate the adoption of the amendments. 54. Concerning the implementation of the digital tachograph, the Committee may wish to remind the participating countries that the introduction of this control device will require important efforts with the non-EU AETR Contracting Parties, in particular at administrative and financial levels. With this in mind, the Committee may wish to recall the need for non-EU AETR Contracting Parties to nominate as soon as possible a national authority that is in charge, in particular, of issuing a national security policy, issuing tachograph cards, approving and auditing workshops, dealing with risk management and to communicate these decisions to the secretariat. This information is very important to facilitate contacts among all administrations/services interested in the implementation of the digital tachograph and the UNECE Secretariat, in particular regarding the process of issuing of cryptographic keys. 55. The Committee may wish to take note that the Appendix 1B (about 300 pages), which defines the requirements for construction, testing, installation and inspection of the digital tachograph, was transmitted to the UN relevant services to be translated into Russian. Before sending the text for translation, it was necessary for the secretariat to carry out an important preliminary work aiming at adapting the EU text with the AETR context in the English and French versions. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 11 56. The Committee may also wish to remind to non-EU AETR Contracting Parties to send to the secretariat their reply to the questionnaire on checking of driving and rest time. This survey has to be launched every two years by the secretariat according to Article 12 of the AETR. Part 2 of the session (cont’d) –Wednesday p.m., 20 February 2008 (d) Additional Protocol to the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) Documentation: ECE/TRANS/SC.1/381; ECE/TRANS/2008/14. 57. Although the Additional Protocol was definitively adopted by SC.1, it was necessary to modify some provisions to take into account the observations made by the UN Treaty Section in New York. Consequently, the Committee will be requested to approve the final text of the Protocol and will be invited to support the organization of a ceremony for signature in May at the occasion of the extra meeting of SC.1, if accepted by the Committee, given that many countries announced that they would not be ready to sign the Protocol during the ITC session. (e) Consolidated Resolution on Road Traffic (R.E.1) Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.1/108 and Adds.1-4; ECE/TRANS/WP.1/110; ECE/TRANS/WP.1/113. 58. At its sessions in 2007, the Working Group on Traffic Safety (WP.1) adopted numerous important recommendations dealing with improving bicycle, motorcycle and moped safety, speed, safety of children, infrastructure and the safety of two-wheelers, advertising and road safety, use of mobile phones, contents of the first-aid kit, special rules concerning certain categories of vehicles, driving instruction, etc. 59. As the objective of WP.1 is to end the revision of R.E.1 in 2008, the Committee is requested to authorise the holding of an additional session of WP.1 from 30 June to 4 July 2008. This session would finalise the general review of the consolidated text (about 200 pages). (f) Follow-up of the First United Nations Global Safety Week, 23-29 April 2007 60. The Committee will be informed about of results of the World Youth Assembly and the Second Global Stakeholders Forum held in Geneva during the First United Nations Global Road Safety Week (23-29 April 2007) which targeted young road users, including young drivers. The Committee may wish to consider the results of the survey carried out by the secretariat in order to evaluate the impact of this First United Nations Global Road Safety Week in the UNECE region. It may wish to thank all generous donators who contributed to the success of the World Youth Assembly: European Commission, World Bank, Netherlands, Norway, Italy and FIA Foundation. Without their support this event would not take place. 61. The Committee may wish to propose to the UNECE countries to support the candidature of the Russian Federation to host the Global Road Safety Conference in 2009 if this issue is considered at the time of adoption of a new Resolution on road safety by the General Assembly. This is expected to take place in spring 2008. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 12 (g) Preparation of a new Annex 9 (rail crossing) to the Harmonization Convention 62. The Committee will be informed about the progress made by the Working Party on Customs Questions affecting Transport (WP.30) in the preparation of a new draft Annex 9 on Railway Border Crossing Facilitation to the International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods (Harmonization Convention, 1982). (h) New Convention to Facilitate the Crossing of Frontiers in International Railway Passenger Transport 63. The Committee may wish to take note of the discussions within the Working Party on Customs Questions affecting Transport (WP.30) with regard to a new draft Convention to Facilitate the Crossing of Frontiers in International Railway Passenger Transport. In particular, the Committee will be informed about a number of possible difficulties related to the subject of the newly proposed Convention in the context of the existing International Convention to Facilitate the Crossing of Frontiers for Passengers and Baggage carried by Rail of 1952. (i) Finalization of 2005 E-Road and 2005 E-Rail Traffic Censuses 64. The ITC will be informed about the activities that relate to the finalisation of the ongoing censuses. Item 10. Issues of informative character and formal approval by the Committee (a) Transport trends and economics Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.5/42. 65. The Committee will have before it for consideration and approval the report of the twentieth session of the Working Party on Transport Trends and Economics (WP.5) (ECE/TRANS/WP.5/42). (i) Infrastructure bottlenecks and missing links 66. The Committee may wish to endorse the decision of the Working Party to convene another informal meeting of a group of experts which undertook the task of revising and updating the document “Methodological basis for the definition of common criteria regarding the identification of bottlenecks, missing links and quality of service of infrastructure networks” (TRANS/WP.5/R.60). The second informal meeting will be convened to consider and approve the final text of the revised document, before it is submitted to the next session of the Working Party in 2008. (ii) Studies on transport economics and track costs undertaken by other organizations Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/7 and Adds.1-3. 67. The Committee may wish to take note of the information received from the European Commission (EC), International Transport Forum (ITF), and the Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development (OECD). ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 13 (b) Road transport 68. The Committee will have before it the report of the Working Party on Road Transport (SC.1), on its one-hundred-and-first session, for consideration (ECE/TRANS/SC.1/381) pending its final adoption at SC.1’s one-hundred-and-second session. European Agreement on Main International Traffic Arteries (AGR) Documentation: ECE/TRANS/SC.1/381. 69. The Committee may wish to note that proposed amendments to the AGR adopted by SC.1 at its one-hundredth session in 2006 (TRANS/SC.1/379, Annex 1) were communicated to Contracting Parties on 10 April 2007 by depositary notifications C.N.315.2007.TREATIES-2. and C.N.316.2007.TREATIES-3. They were considered accepted on 10 October 2007 and entered into force on 15 January 2008. 70. The Committee may also wish to note the proposal adopted at the one-hundred-and-first session to amend Annex I regarding a modification of the itinerary E 79 in Hungary. The Committee may also wish to note the publication by the secretariat of an updated version of the “E” roads map. The previous map was published in 2002. (c) Road traffic safety Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.1/108 and Adds.1-4; ECE/TRANS/WP.1/110; ECE/TRANS/WP.1/113. 71. The Committee will have before it the reports of the Working Party on Road Traffic Safety (WP.1) on its fifty-first (ECE/TRANS/WP.1/108 and Adds.1-4) and fifty-second sessions (ECE/TRANS/WP.1/110) for approval. The report on the fifty-third session (ECE/TRANS/WP.1/113) is for consideration pending on its final adoption at the fifty-fourth session of the Working Party in March 2008 (i) Publication of the Consolidated Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals and European Agreements supplementing them 72. The Committee may wish to note that, in response to ITC resolution No. 257 concerning the First United Nations Global Road Safety Week, the Secretariat has published consolidated versions of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals in English, French and Russian. The publication of the Convention on Road Traffic in Spanish, Chinese and Arabic has just taken place. These publications should facilitate the accession of new countries to the Convention. The same work has been launched for the Convention on Road Signs and Signals. The Committee may also wish to note that an update of the Consolidated Resolution on Road Signs and Signals (R.E.2) was carried out by the secretariat (ECE/TRANS/WP.1/112). (ii) UN Road Safety Collaboration 73. The Committee will be informed about the results of meetings of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration, held on 27-28 February 2007 in Oman and in Geneva on 16-17 October 2007, in particular about possible developments at the UN General Assembly, including the possible organisation of a Global Road Safety Conference in 2009. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 14 (d) Harmonization of vehicle regulations Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1058, ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1062, ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1064. 74. The Committee may wish to consider and approve the work carried out by the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) and its six subsidiary Working Parties on Pollution and Energy (GRPE), General Safety (GRSG), Brakes and Running Gear (GRRF), Lighting and Light-signalling devices (GRE), Noise (GRB) and Passive Safety (GRSP) during 2006, as reflected in the reports of WP.29 on its one-hundred-and-forty-first (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1058), one-hundred-and-forty-second (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1062) and one-hundred-and-forty-third (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/1064) sessions. (i) The 1958 Agreement and annexed UNECE Regulations 75. The Committee may wish to note that, following the succession of Montenegro and of the Tunisia accession, effective 1 January 2008, the number of Contracting Parties to the Agreement reached 48. Two new UNECE Regulations were adopted raising the number of Regulations annexed to the Agreement to 127. Seventy-one amendments to fifty-one existing Regulations were adopted. (ii) The 1998 (global) Agreement and global technical regulations (gtrs) 76. The Committee may wish to note that, following the accession of Moldova on 16 January 2007 and Tunisia on 2 November 2007, the number of Contracting Parties to the 1998 Agreement reached 30. The Executive Committee (AC.3) of the Agreement adopted two amendments to existing global technical regulations (gtrs). Work continued in fourteen priorities for establishing new draft global technical regulations and to update the existing ones. The six subsidiary Working Parties of the World Forum continued to work not only on these priorities, but also on the nine items that the Executive Committee of the Agreement (AC.3) had authorized to continue or begin the work in order to become new priorities. (iii) The 1997 Agreement on Periodical Technical Inspections 77. The Committee might wish to note that the number of Contracting Parties to the Agreement remained the same (9). The Committee may wish to note that an amendment to the Agreement entered into force on 4 July 2007. This amendment was requested by the European Communities in order to facilitate its accession to the Agreement. The Committee may again consider inviting the 18 countries, which signed the Agreement on 13 November 1997, to speed up their national ratification procedures and may again decide to invite the European Community to accede to the Agreement. The Committee may wish to note that an amendment to Rule No. 1, concerning periodical inspections of vehicles with respect to protection of the environment, entered into force on 15 February 2007. The Committee may wish to note that work on the draft Rule No. 2, concerning periodical technical inspections with respect to safety of heavy commercial passenger and goods vehicles used in international transport, will resume as soon as the European Community will accede to the Agreement. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 15 (e) Rail transport infrastructure Documentation: ECE/TRANS/SC.2/208. 78. The Committee will have before it the report of the sixty-first session of the Working Party on Rail Transport (SC.2) (ECE/TRANS/SC.2/208) for consideration and approval. European Agreement on Main International Railway Lines (AGC) 79. The Committee may wish to take note that in total 28 countries are at present Contracting Parties to the AGC Agreement. The Committee may wish to endorse the invitation to those Governments that have not yet acceded to the AGC, to examine the possibility of doing so. It may also wish to endorse the Working Party’s approval of the updated version of Annex 1 of the AGC. (f) Inland water transport Activities undertaken by the Working Party on Inland Water Transport (SC.3) and the Working Party on the Standardization of Technical Safety Requirements in Inland Navigation (SC.3/WP.3) 80. The Committee may wish to take note of the results of the 2007 meetings of the Working Party on Inland Water Transport (SC.3) and the Working Party on the Standardization of Technical Safety Requirements in Inland Navigation (SC.3/WP.3). In particular, the Committee may want to note that the amendments to the European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of International Importance (AGN) adopted by the SC.3 in 2005 and 2006 entered into force in 2007 and that the consolidated text of the agreement was published on the SC.3 website. The Committee may consider it useful to encourage the SC.3 to finalize the context of a new annex IV on protection of inland waterway infrastructure from the intentional external influence. Furthermore, the Committee may wish to endorse the revised resolution No. 21 on prevention of water pollution, adopted by the SC.3 at its last session. 81. The Committee may also wish to note that the SC.3 amended its programme of work for 2008-2012 to take into account the priorities identified in the ITC resolution No. 258 adopted in February 2007. In this context, the Committee may wish to take note of the ongoing work on harmonizing technical requirements for inland vessels (through further developing resolution No. 61 on Harmonized Europe-Wide Technical Requirements for Inland Navigation Vessels) and on helping to create a harmonized and simplified regulatory environment for inland navigation (a common liability regime for ship owners, recognition of ship’s certificates and boatmasters’ licenses etc). Finally the Committee may want to take note of the publication of the third revised version of the European Code for Inland Waterways (CEVNI) and support the joint effort by SC.3 and river commissions to upgrade the status of the CEVNI navigational rules. (f) Intermodal transport and logistics Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.24/115; ECE/TRANS/WP.24/117. 82. The reports of the Working Party on Intermodal Transport and Logistics (WP.24) on its forty-seventh and forty-eighth sessions have been circulated for approval. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 16 (i) European Agreement on Important International Combined Transport Lines and Related Installations (AGTC) and its Protocol on Inland Waterway 83. The Committee may wish to note that a package of amendment proposals has been prepared that contain a large number of railway lines and combined transport installations for inclusion into the AGTC Agreement. These proposals would extend the AGTC network to the Baltic States, Central Asia and the Caucasus and would align it, to a large extent, with the AGC rail network. Once the required consultation process among countries directly concerned is concluded, these proposals will be formally considered and possibly adopted by the Working Party (WP.24) in 2008. 84. The Committee may also wish to note that, following accession by Hungary, the Protocol on Inland Waterways has now 8 Contracting Parties. The Protocol is however not yet in force due to the legal requirement that one or more waterways in the Protocol must be linked, in a continuous manner, by at least three of the States which have ratified it. The Committee may therefore wish to encourage concerned Contracting Parties to the AGTC Agreement to accede to the Protocol as soon as possible and to request the Working Party (WP.24) to consider and decide on a number of amendment proposals already submitted by several countries (ii) Efficient intermodal transport in a pan-European context: Follow-up to the action plan adopted by the ECMT Council of Ministers (Moscow, 24 and 25 May 2005) 85. The Committee may wish to welcome the decision of the Ukraine to continue its role as observatory for two important North-South and East-West intermodal transport lines in accordance with the ECMT framework action plan for the promotion of intermodal transport between Europe and Asia. The Committee may also wish to encourage Eastern European, Caucasus and Central Asian countries (EECCA) to participate actively in the work of the Working Party (WP.24) as intermodal transport and logistics are rapidly growing elements of the global supply chains that may influence considerably the efficiency and sustainability of transport not only at the pan-European level, but also in the Eurasian context. (h) Border Crossing Facilitation Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.30/230, -/232 and -/234, ECE/TRANS/WP.30/AC.2/87; ECE/TRANS/WP.30/AC.2/89, ECE/TRANS/WP.30/GE.1/2007/14. Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention, 1975) 86. The Committee will have before it the reports of the Working Party on Customs Questions affecting Transport (WP.30), on its one-hundred-and-fifteenth, one-hundred-and-sixteenth and one hundred-and-seventeenth sessions (ECE/TRANS/WP.30/230, -/232 and -/234), for consideration and approval. 87. The Committee may wish to take note of the reports of the Administrative Committee for the TIR Convention, 1975 (AC.2) at its forty-third and forty-fourth sessions (ECE/TRANS/WP.30/AC.2/87; ECE/TRANS/WP.30/AC.2/89). ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 17 88. In particular, the Committee may wish to take note of the progress made in the revision of the TIR Convention and the computerization of the TIR procedure (“eTIR”). With regard to the eTIR, the Committee may wish to take note of the adoption by the WP.30 and the endorsement by the AC.2 of Chapter 2 of the eTIR Reference Model, containing the high level requirements of the future TIR system. The latest update of the eTIR Reference Model is contained in document ECE/TRANS/WP.30/GE.1/2007/14. The Committee may wish to decide to prolong the mandate of the Informal Ad hoc Expert Group on Conceptual and Technical aspects of Computerization of the TIR procedure to the year 2008 in order to make further progress on the issue of computerization of the TIR procedure. 89. The ITC may wish to encourage Contracting Parties to participate in WP.30 both through their Customs representatives and also through representatives of the Finance Ministries and the Transport Ministries, as this would provide a unique opportunity for discussion and agreement on border crossing facilitations issues, including the further development of TIR and the introduction of eTIR. (i) Transport of dangerous goods (i) The Economic and Social Council’s Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/2, paras. 23-27 and Annex (ECOSOC Resolution 2007/6, Part A, operative paragraph 5), ST/SG/AC.10/C.3/62 and -/Add.1, ST/SG/AC.10/C.4/26 and - /Corr.1. 90. The Committee may wish to note that the Economic and Social Council adopted, on 23 July 2007, resolution 2007/6 on the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (ECE/TRANS/2008/2). The Committee may also wish to note the action taken by the secretariat and the Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods in relation to this resolution (ECE/TRANS/2008/2, paras 24-26). 91. The Committee may wish to comment on the request for cooperation as regards the possibilities of improving the implementation of the UN Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (ECE/TRANS/2008/2, para. 27 and ECOSOC Resolution 2007/6, Part A, operative paragraph 5). 92. The Committee may also wish to note that: (a) the Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods met from 2 to 6 July 2007 (see report ST/SG/AC.10/C.3/62 and -/Add.1) and is holding its thirty- second session from 3 to 7 December 2007; (b) the Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals met from 9 to 10 July 2007 (see report ST/SG/AC.10/C.4/26 and -/Corr.1) and is holding its fourteenth session from 12 to 14 December 2007 ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 18 (ii) European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR), European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways (ADN) and harmonization of ADR and ADN with the Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID) Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.15/AC.1/106 and Adds.1-2; ECE/TRANS/WP.15/AC.1/108 and Corr.1 and Adds.1-3; ECE/TRANS/WP.15/192 and Corr.1 and Add.1; ECE/TRANS/WP.15/194. 93. The Committee may wish to consider and approve the reports of the RID/ADR/ADN Joint Meeting on its sessions held in Bern from 26-30 March 2007 and Geneva from 11-22 September 2007, as well as the reports of the Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods on its eighty-second and eighty-third sessions (ECE/TRANS/WP.15/192 and Corr.1 and Add.1 and ECE/TRANS/WP.15/194). 94. The Committee may also wish to note that the Joint Meeting of Experts on the Regulations annexed to the ADN will hold its twelfth session from 21 to 25 January 2008. It will consider proposals of amendments to the Regulations annexed to the ADN. The report on this session should be circulated as document ECE/TRANS/WP.15/AC.2/25 for consideration and approval by the Committee. 95. The Committee may wish to note that the RID/ADR/ADN Joint Meeting finalized a set of draft amendments to the common requirements of RID, ADR and ADN which include, inter alia, adaptations of these requirements to those of the fifteenth revised edition of the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations. The Committee may also wish to note that a meeting of an Ad hoc Working Group on the Harmonization of RID/ADR/ADN with the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, with limited membership, was held in Geneva from 22 to 24 May 2007 to facilitate the process of harmonization. 96. The Committee may wish to note that there are 43 Contracting Parties to the ADR. The Protocol amending articles 1 (a), 14 (1) and 14 (3) (b) of the ADR, adopted by the Conference of the Contracting Parties on 28 October 1993, has not yet entered into force as not all Contracting Parties to the ADR have become Parties to the Protocol. Twenty-nine Contracting Parties have done so to date, and the Committee may wish to urge the remaining Contracting Parties (Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Kazakhstan, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Ukraine) to take the necessary steps to allow the Protocol to come into force. 97. The Committee may also wish to note that the Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods adopted new draft amendments to Annexes A and B of the ADR. A consolidated list of all draft amendments adopted in 2006 and 2007 for entry into force on 1 January 2007 will be prepared by the secretariat and circulated under the symbol ECE/TRANS/WP.15/195 98. The Committee may wish to note that there are now six Contracting States to ADN: Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Russian Federation. It is recalled that ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 19 the ADN had also been signed (subject to ratification) by the following other 7 countries: Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Moldova and Slovakia. It was open for signature until 31 May 2001 and is now open for accession. It will enter into force one month after the date of deposit of the next instrument of ratification or of accession. 99. Amendments adopted in 2007 and 2008 will be submitted to the ADN Administrative Committee as soon as the ADN enters into force. Pending this entry into force, the Committee may wish to invite UNECE Member States to implement the amended Regulations through their national legislation as from 1 January 2009. (i) Transport of perishable foodstuffs Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.11/216 and Add.1. Agreement on the International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs and on the Special Equipment to be Used for such Carriage (ATP) 100. The report of the sixty-third session of the Working Party on the Transport of Perishable Foodstuffs (WP.11) (12-15 November 2007) is circulated for consideration and approval by the Committee (ECE/TRANS/WP.11/216 and Add.1) 101. The Committee may wish to note that there are now 44 Contracting Parties to the ATP, Montenegro, Tunisia, Ukraine and Moldova having acceded to the Agreement in 2007. Proposed amendments to the ATP adopted at the sixty-third session of WP.11 are contained in Annex 1 to ECE/TRANS/WP.11/216. The Working Party also decided to resubmit for official amendment procedures those proposed amendments adopted at the sixtieth and sixty-first sessions and modified at the sixty-second session (previously contained in ECE/TRANS/WP.11/214/Add.1 and Add.2), the objections to which, if any, could be considered purely typographical or which had not been the subject of an objection by a Contracting Party (see ECE/TRANS/WP.11/216, paragraph 19 and Add.1). The WP.11 had also discussed, inter alia, a proposal regarding the unanimity rule for the acceptance of amendment proposals. There had been large support for the proposal to increase the number of Contracting Parties required to block an amendment to the technical annexes of the ATP from one to three but not sufficient to carry the proposal. (k) Transport statistics Documentation: ECE/TRANS/WP.6/153. (i) WP.6 Annual session 102. The Committee will have before it the report of the Working Party on Transport Statistics on its fifty-seventh session (6-8 June 2007) (ECE/TRANS/WP.6/153) for consideration and approval. (ii) Methodological issues - Finalization of the manual on the statistical coverage of road traffic performance (vehicle/km/year) 103. The Committee will be informed about the consolidated version of the Handbook on Statistics on Road Traffic. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 20 (iii) Workshops related to transport statistics 104. The Committee will be informed about the meetings of the Task force on Transportation by Buses and Coaches. (l) Status of accession to international UNECE transport agreements and conventions Documentation: Informal Documents. 105. The Committee will have before it an informal document in English, French and Russian prepared by the Secretariat containing tables on the latest status as at 31 January 2008 of signatures, ratifications and accessions concerning international instruments on inland transport concluded under the auspices of the Committee. The Committee will also have before it another informal document on the accessions registered since its last session. 106. The Committee may wish to take note of this information and invite countries, which have not yet done so to become Contracting Parties to UNECE Agreements and Conventions in the field of transport as soon as possible. (m) Transport Division website Documentation: Informal Documents. 107. The Committee may wish to take note that, in 2007, a new section was added to the Transport Division website on Inland Transport Security and a new web tool was developed providing dynamic access to national data on road traffic legislation. 108. Work in 2007 will focus on keeping the website easy to navigate and up-to-date. (n) Review of the transport situation in UNECE member countries and of emerging development trends Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/5. 109. The Committee may wish to note that the secretariat will circulate the document on the transport situation and trends in member countries in 2007, prepared by the secretariat on the basis of contributions by member Governments, international organizations and other sources, following the decision taken by the Committee at its sixty-ninth session (ECE/TRANS/192, para.18). Item 11. Transport of people with reduced mobility Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/10. 110. On the basis of the proposal of Austria on the possible continuation by the ITC of the work on transport of people with reduced mobility, carried out previously in the framework of ECMT, the Committee requested at the seventy-ninth session that the Bureau consider the subject and, following consultations with the appropriate subsidiary bodies, prepare proposals to be presented at the seventieth session. The Committee is invited to consider the proposals prepared by the Bureau (ECE/TRANS/2008/10). ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 21 Part 2 of the session (cont’d) – Thursday a.m., 21 February 2008 IV. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY AND ORGANIZATION OF FUTURE WORK Item 12. Biennial evaluation for the 2008-2009 Biennium, expected accomplishments, indicators and methodologies Documentation: Bureau Informal Document No. 11. 111. The Committee will have before it Bureau Informal Document No.11 containing the proposals of its subsidiary bodies on expected accomplishments, related indicators of achievement and methodologies for the 2008-2009 biennium, for each cluster of activities, approved by the respective Working Parties as well as a proposal on the sub-programme’s 2010- 2011 strategic framework drawn up in the context of the UN programme budget preparations. 112. The Committee may wish to consider and approve the proposals for the 2008-2009 biennium and recommend the ITC to endorse them. 113. The Committee may wish to note sub-programme’s 2010-2011 strategic framework, which was reviewed by its Bureau before its submission to the United Nations Headquarters in early 2008. Item 13. Draft Programme of work 2008-2012 Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/11. 114. The Committee will have before it document ECE/TRANS/2008/11 containing its draft Programme of Work. The Committee may wish to adopt its programme of work for the period 2008-2012. Item 14. Schedule of meetings in 2008 Documentation: ECE/TRANS/2008/8. 115. A preliminary list of meetings is being circulated for consideration and adoption by the Committee, based on proposals made by the Committee’s subsidiary bodies ECE/TRANS/2008/8. Item 15. Election of officers 116. The Committee is expected to elect its officers for its sessions in 2009 and 2010. Item 16. Composition of the Committee’s Bureau in 2008 and 2009 117. The Committee may wish to decide on the composition of its Bureau for the preparation of its sessions in 2008 and 2009. ECE/TRANS/199/Add.1 page 22 V. MISCELLANEOUS Item 17. Any other business Date of next session 118. The Committee may note that its seventy-first session is tentatively scheduled to be held from 24 – 26 February 2009. Part 3 of the session –Thursday p.m., 21 February 2008 Item 18. Adoption of the list of main decisions of the seventieth session 119. The Committee will adopt the list of main decisions of the seventieth session. _________