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Type-approval requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles and tyres
In the framework of the European Commission initiative “Better Regulation”, which aims at simplifying, repealing or rewriting over 220 pieces of legislation, the car industry was identified as a priority sector. Practically, this process will target around 50% of the automobile legislation. 

As part of this exercise and of the EC initiatives to reducing CO2 emissions, the Regulation on type-approval requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles and tyres (COM(2008)316) has been adopted by the Council of Ministers on 22 June 2009.  It marks a new step in recognizing the importance of promoting tyre performances integrated approach by considering both safety and environmental performance requirements in the same legislative text.

The Regulation requires the mandatory fitting of advanced safety features, such as accurate tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) and low rolling resistance tyres, to be introduced by as early as 2012.  Together, TPMS and low rolling resistance tyres are expected to reduce fuel consumption, saving 5-to-7 million tonnes of CO2 annually, equivalent to emissions reduction of about 5 gm per kilometre driven.

Additionally, the Regulation sets minimum levels for passenger car tyre wet grip performance, helping to secure minimum braking properties, as per the UN/ECE tyre technical regulations.  This is done in conformity with the EU process of ‘better regulation’, which aims to simplify legislation by making reference, when possible, to international standards.

Finally, the regulation also sets further reductions in the rolling noise levels of tyres.  Industry has evidence that if this effort could be combined with national measures to improve road infrastructures, road traffic noise would be significantly reduced.

The new tyre requirements will be introduced from November 2012 and will progressively apply to the entire tyre replacement market.  

ETRMA background document

Consumer’ information: labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters
The European Commission proposed Regulation COM(2009)348 introduces mandatory tyre labelling based on integrated performances and aims at influencing consumers to buy especially more energy efficient and safer tyres through the provision of harmonised and easy to understand information. 

The tyre is the only contact area with the road surface, it therefore plays a key role for the braking performance and its rolling resistance directly impacts vehicle fuel consumption and emissions at large.  The availability of reliable and comparable information on tyre performance will make it easier for the end-user to consider these elements before he takes a purchase decision. 

This new initiative offers the potential of enabling consumers to purchase tyres which surpass the limits set in the vehicle safety regulation (COM(2008)316) and, aims at accelerating market transformation towards even more fuel efficient and safer tyres.

From November 2012, all tyres intended for sale on the replacement market in Europe will have to be accompanied with standardised labelling information.  This is particularly important for the replacement market which represents 78% of the total of tyre sales in Europe.  

ETRMA favours measures that would inform consumers in a clear, transparent and uniform way on key parameters related to safety as well as to environment performances of tyres.  However in order to render the proposal purposeful, enforceable and effective in the market, industry believes some important aspects must be addressed and resolved during the second reading of the co-decision process.  They mainly concern the effective definition and communication of the labelled information to ensure reaching the target and the implementing measures to guarantee a proper enforcement of the requirements accompanied by a relevant dissuasive control system done by Member States.  

The proposed Regulation is due to be adopted at second reading at the earliest end-2009 or in the beginning of 2010. 

Update 30 July 2009