CANADA: PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS. The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6. G/TBT/NOTIF.96.152. 1. Member to Agreement notifying: CANADA. If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2): 2. Agency responsible: Department of Transportation. Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification can be indicated if different from above: 3. Notified under Article 2.9.2. 4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Passenger car brake systems. 5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Proposed amendment to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (pages 1432-1446). 6. Description of content: For many years, the governments of major vehicle-producing countries have recognized the need to harmonize their regulatory requirements in order to reduce unnecessary non-tariff barriers to automotive trade. In partial response to this need, the United States has developed a new passenger car brake standard whose requirements harmonize with those of proposed equivalent regulation, 13-H, of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (the ECE). While the ECE's Regulation 13-H has not yet been implemented, the United States has issued its harmonized Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, entitled ``Passenger Car Brake Systems'', which came into effect on 6 March 1995. At present, Canada's requirements governing the braking performance of passenger cars are contained in Section 105 of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations. Entitled ``Hydraulic Brake Systems'', this Section also sets out standards that apply to the hydraulic brake systems of multi-purpose passenger vehicles, trucks and buses. In order to harmonize Canada's requirements governing passenger car brake systems with those of the United States and the ECE, this amendment would add Section 135 to the Regulations and incorporate by reference Technical Standards Document, No. 135, Passenger Car Brake Systems, which reproduces the technical requirements of FMVSS No. 135. In accordance with the implementation schedule of the United States, compliance with proposed Section 135 would not be mandatory until 1 September 2000. After this date, Section 105 would cease to apply to passenger cars, but would remain applicable to other vehicles equipped with hydraulic brakes. In the meantime, motor vehicle manufacturers would have the choice of complying with either the new requirements of Section 135 or the existing provisions of Section 105. The effective date of this proposed amendment would be the date of its registration be the Clerk of the Privy Council. 7. Objective and rationale: Protection of human safety. 8. Relevant documents: Canada Gazette, Part I, 11 May 1996. 9. Proposed date of adoption: Not stated. Proposed date of entry into force: Not stated. 10. Final date for comments: 9 June 1996. (159)

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