Regulation (EU) No 540/2014 lays down requirements for the EU type-approval of all new vehicles of categories M (vehicles used for the carriage of passengers) and N (vehicles used for the carriage of goods) with regard to their sound level. That Regulation also lays down measures concerning the Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) for hybrid electric and pure electric vehicles, aiming at the warning of vulnerable road users.

Following the adoption, at the 168th session of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which took place on 8 — 11 March 2016, of UN Regulation 138 on the approval of quiet road transport vehicles, Annex VIII to Regulation (EU) No 540/2014 should be reviewed in order to improve the accuracy of the AVAS requirements on type and volume of emitted sound, the sound generation method, the pause switch and stationary sound.

The information document pursuant to Annex I to Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council2 relating to EU type-approval of a vehicle with respect to the permissible sound level and the addendum to the EU type-approval certificate should be reviewed to reflect the detailed requirements on AVAS.

In addition, to allow for the approval of hybrid electric and pure electric vehicles which are equipped with AVAS, it is appropriate to introduce testing requirements on the AVAS sound emission minimum levels in forward and reverse motion as well as on the emitted sound frequency shift.

Regulation (EU) No 540/2014 should therefore be amended accordingly.

Given that Regulation (EU) No 540/2014 has become applicable on 1 July 2016 and that it cannot be fully applied without the amendments to Annex VIII included in this act, this Regulation should enter into force as soon as possible,