3. Referring in particular to Article 7 of this Convention, priority shall be given to urgent consignments, e.g. live animals and perishable goods. In particular, the competent services at border crossing points:

(i) shall take the necessary measures to minimise waiting times for ATP-approved vehicles transporting perishable foodstuffs or for vehicles transporting live animals, as from their time of arrival at the frontier until their regulatory, administrative, Customs and sanitary controls;

(ii) shall ensure that the required controls mentioned under (i) are carried out as quickly as possible;

(iii) shall allow, as far as possible, the operation of the necessary refrigerating units of vehicles carrying perishable foodstuffs during the time of crossing the border, unless this is impossible as a result of the required control procedure;

(iv) shall cooperate, in particular through advance information exchange, with their counterparts in other Contracting Parties in order to accelerate border crossing procedures for perishable foodstuffs and live animals, in case these loads are subject to sanitary inspections.

Article 4

Vehicle inspection

1. The Contracting Parties, not yet Parties to the Agreement Concerning the Adoption of Uniform Conditions for Periodical Technical Inspections of Wheeled Vehicles and the Reciprocal Recognition of such Inspections (1997), should endeavour, in line with relevant national and international laws and regulations, to facilitate the crossing of road vehicles across borders by accepting the International Technical Inspection Certificate as provided for in this Agreement. The Technical Inspection Certificate, as contained in the Agreement as of 1 January 2004, is contained in Appendix 1 to this Annex.

2. With a view to identifying ATP-approved vehicles carrying perishable foodstuffs, the Contracting Parties may utilise the distinguishing marks affixed to the relevant equipment and the ATP certificate or plate of approval provided for in the Agreement on the International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs and the Special Equipment to be used for such Carriage (1970).

Article 5

International Vehicle Weight Certificate

1. In order to accelerate border crossings, the Contracting Parties, in line with relevant national and international laws and regulations, should endeavour to avoid repetitive vehicle weighing procedures at border crossings by accepting and mutually recognising the International Vehicle Weight Certificate as contained in Appendix 2 to this Annex. In case the Contracting Parties accept such certificates, no further weight measurements shall be carried out apart from random checks and controls in the case of supposed irregularities. Vehicle weight measurements recorded in such certificates shall take place only in the country of origin of international transport operations. The results of such measurements shall be duly reflected and certified in such certificates.

2. Each Contracting Party, accepting the International Vehicle Weight Certificate, shall publish a list of all weighing stations in their country authorised in accordance with international principles as well as any modification thereto. This list as well as any modification thereto shall be transmitted to the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations (UNECE) for distribution to each Contracting Party and to the international organisations referred to in Annex 7, Article 2 to this Convention.