On 26 June 2008, at the United Nations offices in Geneva, the 50 year anniversary of the International Agreement will be celebrated. The 1958 Agreement set down the basic rules that motor vehicles and their components must meet to conform to international legislation.
Currently, almost 130 regulations annexed to the agreement govern the safety, environmental and security performance that automotive vehicles and components must meet in order to benefit from internationally recognised certification. Whilst originally focussed on the European market, the agreement and its separate regulations are now reaching far beyond those borders to Asia, Oceania and Africa.
The SMMT Technical department is heavily and consistently involved in contributing to this influential process. SMMT working groups feed into the international trade association OICA, whose working groups in turn are represented on UN forums which develop global agreements. Allan McKenzie from the SMMT Technical team is currently chairman of the OICA group that represents general vehicle safety representing global vehicle safety which has close links with this and other UN committees on automotive legislation.
At the event on 26 June, the president of OICA, Mr Sinceri, will join a list of high calibre speakers, including His Excellency Mr. R. Schweppe, Ambassador of Germany. Media will be invited and a full agenda on the day’s events can be viewed here
