Excellencies, Presidents, Delegates, Administrators, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a privilege to address you at this 88^th UNECE Inland Transport Committee.

For OICA and the vehicle manufacturers we represent, commitment to international regulation as debated at WP.29 is not new; it is part of our DNA. It is rooted in the spirit of the Paris 1926 automobile traffic Convention and the Geneva 1949 road traffic Convention. It was strengthened by the creation of the OICA Technical Committee, exactly 70 years ago in 1956, which helped shaping the 1958 Agreement then the 1998 Agreement —the cornerstones of today’s global vehicle regulatory and certification systems.

In our field, progress never happens by chance. It is built through discipline, expertise, trust, and thousands of hours of technical cooperation. What we have achieved together is substantial.

What we must achieve next is even more important.

Today, I would like to put forward three priorities.

First: strengthen WP.29–WP.1 collaboration, especially for Automated Driving Systems (ADS).
WP.29 can certify safe technology. WP.1 can enable safe use in real traffic.
If these tracks move separately, we risk creating a paradox: vehicles that are legal to sell, but illegal to use in certain conditions.
Our citizens expect better. We must deliver a seamless path from innovation to real-world deployment.

Second: broaden access to our regulatory expertise.
WP.1 and WP.29 have built world-class knowledge over decades. That expertise should not remain concentrated among historical participants.
Expanding engagement is not only a matter of inclusion—it is a matter of impact: better road safety, faster access to safer technologies, stronger economies of scale, and more consistent markets.

Third: make our work genuinely global through structured outreach beyond the UNECE region.
By deepening cooperation with other UN regional commissions—especially ECLAC and ESCAP—we can support regions where the safety and modernization gains can be greatest, including Latin America, Southeast Asia, Africa and other rapidly growing markets.

Our predecessors gave us a strong framework. Our responsibility is clear: preserve it, modernize it, and extend its benefits.

If we align our institutions, share our expertise, and act globally, we will not only improve regulations—we will save more lives, accelerate innovation, and strengthen public trust in mobility.

Thank you for your attention.