Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive amending Council Directive 92/23/EEC relating to tyres for motor vehicles and their trailers and to their fitting'
Date: 1998-05-27
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: Community certification, commercial vehicle, motor vehicle, noise protection, pneumatic tyre

C 235/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.7.98

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a European Parliament
and Council Directive amending Council Directive 92/23/EEC relating to tyres for motor
vehicles and their trailers and to their fitting’ (1)

(98/C 235/05)

On 6 January 1998 the Council decided to consult Economic and Social Committee, under
Article 100a of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned
proposal.

The Section for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services, which was responsible for preparing
the Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 6 May 1998. The rapporteur
was Mr Bagliano.

At its 355th plenary session (meeting of 27 May 1998), the Economic and Social Committee
adopted the following opinion by 101 votes in favour, with 2 abstentions.

1.

Introduction

1.1.
The Commission’s proposed directive is intended
to fill a gap in the measures so far adopted against noise
caused by road traffic.

1.2.
Directive 70/157/EEC on the permissible sound
level of motor vehicles is set out in such a way as to
draw attention to — and therefore limit — only the
noise arising from the exhaust and the mechanical parts
of vehicles. At that time these were indeed the main
sources of traffic noise.

1.2.1.
The tightening up of technical requirements
imposed by subsequent amendments to the above
Directive have resulted in a considerable reduction in
the noise from these sources, but have at the same time
drawn attention to the problem of noise produced by
the contact between tyres in motion and road surfaces.

1.3.
This was brought out by Article 4 of the most
recent amendment to the aforementioned Directive
70/157/EEC (Directive 92/97/EEC of 19 December 1992)
in which the Council delegates to the Commission the
task of drawing up a proposal designed to limit the
noise produced by tyre/road surface contact, while
taking safety requirements into account. The draft
directive under consideration fulfils this mandate.

1.3.1.
The present proposal is for an amendment to
Directive 92/23/EEC relating to tyres for motor vehicles
and their trailers and to their fitting; that Directive did
not, however, cover noise. It defines both the method of
measurement of the tyre-road noise and the maximum
permissible level for different types of tyre.

2. General comments

The scope of the proposed directive covers all
2.1.
types of tyres fitted to cars (category M1 vehicles) and
to both light and heavy commercial vehicles (categories
M2, M3, N1, N2 and N3) and their trailers. It excludes

(1) OJ C 30, 28.1.1998, p. 8.

vehicles designed for uses other than the transport of
people or things, which can only occasionally use the
road infrastructure (e.g. farm tractors).

2.1.1.
In view of this very wide scope, the Commission
has developed a common method of measurement but
proposes maximum permissible noise levels which are
differentiated by category of vehicle. Within each catego-
ry, these levels are linked:

— for passenger cars: to the nominal rim size of the
tyre (thus taking account of the constraints imposed
by roadholding and special uses considerations);

— for commercial vehicles: to the specific use category
of the tyre (e.g. normal, for snow conditions, or
special).

2.1.2.
This represents an attempt to define require-
ments designed to limit the tyre-road noise while
respecting safety considerations.

2.1.3. However, the noise levels corresponding to
different types of road surface (or indeed to different
atmospheric conditions) for the same type of tyre do not
fall within the scope of the proposed directive. Here the
Committee would point out that the 12th recital of
Directive No 92/97/EEC of 19 December 1992 explicitly
states that ‘it is necessary to continue studies and
research so as to be able to ascertain numerical indices in
order to establish objective criteria for road conformity’.

3. Timetable

3.1.
The draft directive provides for these require-
ments to come into force on 1 October 2001. This would
apply both to new types of tyre brought onto the market
and to new vehicles, which will have to be fitted only
with tyres conforming to the said requirements.

3.2.
From 1 October 2005 onwards all tyres brought
onto the market will have to conform to the requirements
of the draft directive.

27.7.98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 235/25

Still excluded from the draft directive’s pro-

3.3.
visions are:

bution to the improvements already achieved by the
automobile industry in this field.

— tyres intended to be fitted to vehicles registered for

the first time before 1 October 1980;

— spare tyres intended for temporary use, tyres whose
speed rating is less than 80 km/h, and tyres whose
nominal rim diameter does not exceed 254 mm.

4. Comments

4.1.
The method of measurement involves checking
the tyre-road noise at a normal speed of 80 km/h while
the vehicle is freewheeling in neutral on a standardized
road surface.

4.1.1.
The measures to be adopted to meet these
requirements will therefore have their optimum effect
in reducing noise due to road traffic in extra-urban areas
and in freely moving traffic conditions.

4.1.2. However, the tyre noise during acceleration or
braking — conditions which are more frequent in urban
or congested traffic — will not be tested. The Committee
also acknowledges that there is at present no established
testing procedure to solve this problem,
important
though it is.

Technical solutions required to ensure tyre per-
4.2.
formance for special uses, such as on snow-covered or
excavated roads, justify the higher limit values for noise
set by the draft directive.

Differentiated limits are also justified for pas-
4.2.1.
senger car tyres, whose characteristics must be compat-
ible with the performance of the cars to which they are
fitted, in order to ensure maximum driving safety. The
Committee agrees with this approach.

4.3.
The proposed noise levels are well-balanced in
that, while they require a considerable effort on the part
of the tyre industry, they are industrially achievable in
the timescale envisaged.

The dates of entry in force of the requirements
4.4.
in this draft directive are consistent with the periods
needed by the tyre industry to adapt to them.

4.4.1. However, the Council will have to check with
the industry on the availability of types of tyre already
conforming to these requirements for all models of
vehicle to be produced in 2001 — the deadline by which
only tyres complying with the limits in this draft directive
may be fitted.

4.4.2.
The Committee thinks it realistic to provide
for a grace period of at least two years (i.e. until 2003)
for newly registered vehicles (old models), while 2001
remains the reference date for new type approvals (new
models) alone.

4.5.
Also important is the Commission’s statement
that these requirements are a first step in combating
noise produced by moving tyres on road surfaces, and
that they will have to be reviewed later in the light
of their effects — both on the market and on the
environment.

4.5.1.
This statement — in the Explanatory Memo-
randum — should, however, be included also in the
preamble to the draft directive itself, as ‘whereas’ (6):

‘Whereas the requirements intended to reduce the
noise arising from contact between tyres in motion
and road surfaces constitute a first step in the fight
against this source of noise; whereas they must
subsequently be reviewed in the light of their effect
on the market and the environment, taking account
of the ever-growing impact which the type of road
surface will have as a noise source.’

The proposed recital would supplement the 12th recital
of Directive No 92/97/EEC, mentioned in point 2.1.3
above.

5. Conclusions

The Committee endorses the objective of the proposed
directive, and recommends in particular:
— that account be taken of the comment in point 4.4

above;

4.3.1.
These levels also meet the expectations of the
public, who wish to see action to reduce the noise
generated by road traffic; they make a further contri-

— that more emphasis be placed, in a suitable ‘whereas’
of the preamble, on the need for a review of the
effectiveness of the measures adopted.

Brussels, 27 May 1998.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Tom JENKINS