New working arrangements are coming up – CITA’s new Topic Areas and introduction of Policy Experts, Technical Experts and Project Teams
CITA Working Groups are in a transitional period during 2010.
The proposal by the CITA Bureau Permanent to replace the former arrangements for the European CITA Working Groups was approved at the 2009 CITA General Assembly. The aim is to continue the process of making CITA’s work more effective by separating project work from the core objective of Working Groups – promoting exchange of views and best practices. Project work will now be handled separate as individual projects managed by project teams.
CITA Working Groups will continue to be the principle forum for members to contribute to CITA’s technical work. However, they will now be organised under 5 specific topic areas, each with a number of sub-topic areas.
The new topic areas cover state of art themes for modern vehicles roadworthiness. in the past, the topic areas of Working Groups were technically orientated. The new topic areas expend this role to also more operational and strategic issues.
Activities for these topic areas will be coordinated under the Regional Advisory Group for Europe. A Policy Expert (PE) will lead each topic area assisted by 1 or 2 Technical Experts (TE) for each sub-topic area. All CITA members will be able to make their input to CITA’s work through these Working Groups. More details
Since the CITA General Assembly in 2009 new topic area for CITA’s work have been identified, covering state of art themes for modern vehicles roadworthiness. Working Groups were before especially technical orientated, the new topics areas are in addition also more operational and strategically orientated.
The five topics areas together with their Policy Experts have been approved by the CITA Bureau Permanent at its 132nd meeting held on 17 March 2010. The Policy Experts will start to contact candidates for Technical Experts to submit over the next few months a proposal to the CITA Bureau Permanent. A Working Group will be set-up for each topic area to make sure the full range of CITA members and roadworthiness schemes is represented.
| Topic Areas | Sub-Topic Areas | Policy Experts | |
| Safety Systems | Electronic Controlled Systems
Mechanical Systems Brakes |
Thomas Aubel | |
| Environmental Protection Systems | Exhaust Emissions
CO2 Emissions Noise |
Axel Richter | |
| Standardized Inspection Outcomes | Upgraded Harmonized Standards
Training Quality |
Bernard Bourrier | |
| Continuous Compliance | PTI Regimes
Roadside Inspection Regimes Other Roadworthiness Regimes |
Operators: Thomas Klukas
Administrations: to be decided |
|
| Information Systems | Databases – Technical Vehicle Specifications and Inspection Results
Data Collection & Analysis ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) |
Eduard Fernandez | |
The CITA Secretariat will confirm early April 2010 with its members people from their organisation who they want to become member of the different Working Groups. Any CITA member is entitled to become a member of any CITA Working Group. Afterwards Working Group meetings will be set-up again to kick-off the activities for the different topic areas.
Projects
CITA is currently working on two priority projects:
- Low Emission Diesel Testing, currently under the leadership of Mr. Axel Richter, CITA Policy Expert for Environmental Protection Systems
- Inspection of Electronic Controlled safety Systems (ECS) under the leadership of Dr.-Ing. Thomas Aubel, CITA Policy Expert for Safety Systems
Don’t hesitate contacting the CITA Secretariat if you have any further question.
Working Group Overview (Will be replaced with new arrangements by end 2010)
| Ad Hoc WG1 | WG5 |
| WG1 | WG6 |
| WG2 | WG7 |
| WG3 | WG8 |
| WG4 | WG9 |
Much of CITA’s activities take place in CITA Working Groups. They meet in general a few times per year. The meeting frequency is not fixed but subject to justified work. Sometimes smaller sub-Working Groups are established to continue the work between two meetings or to work on specific projects.
Principal Objectives
- be a forum to exchange information and share experience
- produce CITA Recommendations, Manuals, Questionnaires and Position Papers
- identify potential projects
- prepare workshops for the CITA International Conference
- monitor regulatory developments
- represent CITA at national and international bodies with technical specialists a.o. DGTREN and UNECE-WP29
Any employee of a CITA Member can participate. Other persons can participate subject to the approval by the CITA Secretariat.
Each CITA Working Group is chaired by an employee of a CITA member, specialised in the subject and assisted by a CITA Advisor from the CITA Secretariat.
Currently Established CITA Working Groups
Ad-hoc Working Group 1 on Suspension Testing
Ad-hoc working groups are not permanent and cease to exist once their task is completed.
Specific activities in addition to its principal objectives:
- Collect intelligence on recent test methods
- Draft a CITA Recommendation on Suspension Testing.
Working Group 1 on Emission and Noise Testing
Specific activities in addition to its principal objectives:
- Maintenance of the CITA Emission Questionnaire
- Future test methods for Emission and Noise testing
- Maintenance of CITA Recommendation 6 on Inspection of the Installation and Operation of LPG Equipment for the Propulsion of Motor Vehicles.
- Monitor emission and noise regulations at the European Commission and UNECE
Working Group 2 on New Technologies
Specific activities in addition to its principal objectives:
- Maintenance of CITA Recommendation 15: ‘European database for PTI purposes’
- Set out the requirements for the vehicle interface technology
Working Group 3 on Quality Assurance
Specific activities in addition to its principal objectives:
- Monitor movements on the ISO 17020 and the associated EA guidelines.
- Maintenance of:
- EA/02 guideline
- CITA Quality Questionnaire
- CITA Manual on Applied Quality Systems by Country/Company
- CITA Recommendations:
- 9/A on “Quality system for independent road vehicle inspection bodies not undertaking related activities” and B on “Quality system for road vehicle inspection bodies under the direct supervision of a designated authority”
- 13 on “Quality measurement methods for vehicle inspection”
- 17 on “Roles of supervisory bodies for vehicle inspection operators under CITA recommendation 9B”
- Represent CITA at meetings with the European Accreditation body.
- Two sub Working Groups are currently active:
- Mystery Shopper
- EA activities (European Accreditation Body)
CITA Working Group 4 on New Testing Items
This CITA Working Group is currently less active as most of its original activities are now handled by other CITA Working Groups, hence the group may be suspended in the near future.
Specific activities in addition to its principal objectives:
- Maintenance of CITA Recommendations:
– 6 on “Inspection of the installation and operation of LPG equipment for the propulsion of motor vehicles”
– 12 on “Verification of road speed limit systems”
Working Group 5 on Brakes Testing
Specific activities in addition to its principal objectives:
- Complete relevant CITA Recommendation with requirements for motorcycle testing
- Develop a proposal for brake imbalance & ovality testing to be included in CITA Recommendations
- Maintenance of:
- CITA Recommendation 8 on “Brake testing of heavy goods vehicles and cars”
- Brake testing requirements specified in CITA Recommendations
- CITA Brakes Testing Questionnaire
- Monitor activities at ISO SC2/WG6 and UNECE-WP29 GRRF
Working Group 6 on the Scope of In-service Vehicles Periodical Roadworthiness and Roadside Inspections.
Specific activities in addition to its principal objectives:
- Maintenance of the items to be inspected, methods of inspection and principal reasons for rejection under CITA Recommendations:
- 1 for periodical technical inspection of passengers vehicles, goods vehicles and trailers
- 2 for periodical technical inspection of large passenger carrying vehicles
- 5 for periodical technical inspection of motorcycles
- 6 for roadside inspection of heavy goods vehicles and large passenger carrying vehicles
- Maintenance other CITA Recommendations:
- 3 on “Inspection Equipment”
- 7 on “Inspection Station Facilities”
- Assist UNECE-WP29 in finalizing Rule 2 to the 1997 Vienna Agreement.
- Three sub Working Groups are currently active:
- CITA-ECR
- Harmonization
- Inspection Equipment
CITA Working Group 7 on Electronic Controlled Systems Testing
Specific activities in addition to its principal objectives:
- Finalization and future maintenance of a CITA Recommendation on “Inspection of Electronic Controlled Systems (ECS)”
- Field tests assessing the feasibility of test methods and procedures for ECS
CITA Working Group 8 on Inspection of 2 & 3 Wheeled Vehicles
Specific activities in addition to its principal objectives:
- This CITA Working Group is active under the CITA Regional Advisory Group for Asia/Australasia and is concentrating therefore on the Asian region.
- Collect intelligence on 2 & 3 wheelers
- Draft a CITA Recommendation on small 2 & 3 wheelers with specific requirements for Asia with priority for emission testing.
CITA Working Group 9 on Training
Specific activities in addition to its principal objectives:
- Collecting intelligence on training methods
- Promoting justified e-learning and blended learning
- Presentation of well established training systems
- A sub Working Group on e-learning is currently active
Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the CITA Secretariat.