Amended proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters {SEC(2008) 2860} {SEC(2008) 2861}
Date: 2009-06-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: ecology, energy policy, environmental protection, labelling, motor fuel, pneumatic tyre, transport policy

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 30.6.2009 
COM(2009) 348 final 

2008/0221 (COD) 

Amended pProposal for a 

DIRECTIVE REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE 
COUNCIL  

on labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters 

{SEC(2008) 2860} 
{SEC(2008) 2861} 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

The Commission presents an amended proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament 
and  of  the  Council  on  labelling  of  tyres  with  respect  to  fuel  efficiency  and  other  essential 
parameters.  Incorporated  within  the  amended  proposal  are  amendments  proposed  by  the 
European Parliament at its first reading which are acceptable to the Commission, along with 
technical  improvements  that  are  necessary  for  changing  the  format  from  a  Directive  into  a 
Regulation. 

1. 

BACKGROUND 

On 13 November 2008, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Directive of the European 
Parliament and of the Council on labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other 
essential  parameters.  This  proposal  was  forwarded  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the 
Council on 13 November 2008. 

The  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee  gave  its  opinion  on  12  March  2009  and 
proposed amendments to the Commission proposal. 

The European Parliament adopted a legislative resolution at its first reading on 22 April 2009. 

2. 

OBJECTIVE OF THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSAL 

With as much as 23% of total CO2 emissions coming from road transport1, reducing vehicles’ 
energy intensity and emissions is a major challenge for the EU. 

The  labelling  proposal  follows  an  integrated  approach  on  tyres  which  will  ensure  that 
standardised  information  is  supplied  not  only  on  fuel  efficiency  but  also  on  wet  grip  and 
external rolling noise, so that end-users can make an informed choice. The aim is to promote, 
through  the  operation  of  market  forces,  dynamic  improvement  of  all  parameters  beyond  the 
minimum  requirements  set  for  type  approval  (the  procedure  which  grants  access  to  the  EU 
market) and by so doing improve energy efficiency of road transport. 

3. 

COMMISSION'S  OPINION  ON  THE  AMENDMENTS  ADOPTED  BY  THE  EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT 

On  22  April  2009,  the  European  Parliament  adopted  42  amendments  on  the  proposal.  The 
Commission  considers  that  a  majority  of  the  European  Parliament's  amendments  are 
acceptable as they maintain the aims and political viability of the proposal and in many cases 
enhance  the  original  drafting.  The  Commission  therefore  accepts  in  full,  in  part  or  with 
redrafting, the following amendments of the European Parliament. 

1 

European  Environment  Agency,  Annual  European  Community  Greenhouse  Gas  Inventory  1990-2005 
and Inventory Report 2007, p. 88. 

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3.1. 

Format of the proposal 

A  main  feature  of  the  European  Parliament's  amendments  is  to  change  the  format  of  the 
proposal  from  a  Directive  into  a  Regulation  (Amendment  1).  Taking  into  account  that  a 
Regulation  will  reduce  transposal  costs  and  ensure  that  the  application  date  of  the  labelling 
scheme  applies  to  all  stakeholders  at  the  same  time,  the  Commission  acknowledges  this 
change. 

3.2. 

Scope of application and other general provisions (Articles 1-3) 

Aim and subject matter: Amendment 11 clarifies that the aim of the proposal is to promote 
wet  grip  and  external  rolling  noise  in  addition  to  fuel  efficiency  which  is  in  line  with  the 
approach of the entire labelling scheme. The Commission therefore accepts this amendment in 
full, together with Amendment 30 which follows the same logic. The wording of Recital 20 
proposed in Amendment 7 is also modified for consistency. 

Amendment 13 removes tyre stored from the definition of 'point of sale'. It is acceptable to 
clarify the wording to indicate that those stocks, where tyres are not offered for sale to end-
users (such as storage places of suppliers) are not included in the definition of point of sale. 
The Commission however deems that it is crucial that those tyres stored at the point of sale to 
end-users  (i.e.  tyres  stored  by  the  distributors)  bear  a  label.  This  will  ensure  maximum 
visibility of the labelling scheme and avoid situations where only the best tyres are displayed 
with a label in the show room (if there is one). The latter situation would undermine the whole 
effectiveness  of  the  scheme  which  is  based  on  the  obligation  for  suppliers  to  display  the 
classes  of  all  tyres  including  those  poorly  rated.  Thus,  the  Commission  accepts  this 
amendment in part and with redrafting in order keep tyre stored into the definition of point of 
sale but clarify that tyre stored by suppliers are not included. 

Amendment 14 reduces the scope of the definition of technical promotional literature (the list 
of  examples  of  'technical  promotional  literature'  becomes  a  closed  list)  and  excludes  'media 
advertising'  from  such  definition.  The  Commission  believes  that  such  exclusion  of  'media 
advertising'  should  be  removed  for  clarity  sake  since  no  definition  of  'media  advertising'  is 
provided  and  leaflets  and  suppliers'  website  can  be  considered  as  'media  advertising'.  In 
addition,  the  initial  wording  of  the  proposal  already  makes  it  clear  that  only  the  marketing 
tools describing the specific parameters of a tyre are considered to be technical promotional 
literature.  It  is  therefore  the  content  of  information  displayed  by  the  marketing  tool  and  not 
the  tool  itself  that  is  relevant  to  determine  what  is  considered  as  technical  promotional 
literature. 

3.3. 

Responsibilities of suppliers and distributors (Articles 4 to 6) 

Explanation  of  the  label  to  end-users:  Amendment  6  requires  the  provision  of 
supplementary standardised information to end-users explaining the components of the label. 
The Commission agrees with the principle. As laid down in point 3 (i) of Annex III, suppliers 
are  requested  to  provide  an  explanation  of  the  pictograms  printed  on  the  label.  Additional 
information  requirements  such  as  a  fuel  savings  calculator  and  EU  website  appear  however 
disproportionate. An EU wide website and fuel savings calculator would be extremely costly 
to  monitor  and  burdensome  for  a  limited  effectiveness.  It  would  also  raise  issues  about 
updating and liability of data provided. Consumer information should be better addressed at 
national level. Thus, the amendment is accepted in part and with redrafting of new recital 18. 

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Responsibilities of tyre suppliers: Amendment 19  requires  that  suppliers  also  provide  the 
measured  rolling  resistance  coefficient  on  technical  promotional  literature  for  C2  and  C3 
tyres.  Since  it  will  not  imply  extra  burden  or  costs  for  the  industry,  the  Commission  can 
accept  this  amendment  in  full.  Amendment  20  requires  suppliers  to  declare  in  a  publicly 
available database the rolling resistance coefficient, wet grip index and external rolling noise 
emissions  of  the  tyres  as  measured  at  type  approval.  The  measured  values  declared  on  the 
label  will  not  necessarily  be  the  same  as  the  type  approved  values.  In  addition,  the 
Commission  does  not  support  the  setting  of  a  publicly  available  database  (see  comments  to 
Amendment 6 above). The Commission therefore accepts that the declared rolling resistance 
coefficient,  wet  grip  index  and  external  rolling  noise  emissions  are  made  public  on  the 
supplier's website but without specifications whether these values are from the type approval 
procedure or not.  

Responsibilities  of  tyre  distributors:  Amendment  24  requires  distributors  to  give  'an 
explanatory version of the label' to end-users 'on or with' the bill in addition to the information 
required  by  the  current  Article  5  (3).  The  Commission  considers  that  this  'explanatory 
information on the label' (i.e. information given after the purchasing decision of the end-user) 
would  be  of  limited  use  and  should  not  be  required  in  view  to  reduce  to  a  minimum  the 
burden on distributors. The Commission however accepts the proposed wording 'on or with' 
the bill which gives more flexibility to distributors on the way they will comply with Article 5 
(3).  

Responsibilities  of  vehicle  suppliers  and  distributors:  Amendments  25  and  44  improve 
the initial wording. The Commission accepts them in full. 

3.4. 

Compliance with information requirements (Articles 7, 8 and 12) 

Testing methods: Amendment 26 stresses that the testing methods shall provide end-users 
with reliable and reproducible information. While the Commission fully shares this view, the 
wording  needs  redrafting  to  be  in  line  with  existing  labelling  initiatives.  An  amendment  is 
introduced for that purpose in Recital 19. 

Market  surveillance  and  penalties:  Amendments  8,  27,  28,  29  and  33  aim  at  reinforcing 
the provisions on market surveillance and penalties which the Commission in principle fully 
supports.  The  Commission  takes  note  that  this  is  a  major  concern  of  the  stakeholders.  The 
Commission however cannot accept the wording which makes a distinction between sanctions 
and  penalties.  The  term  'penalty'  in  EU  law  already  includes  administrative  and  criminal 
penalties. Furthermore, Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council of 9 July 2008 setting out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance 
relating to the marketing of products and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 339/93 already sets 
the rules applicable  for market surveillance as from 1  January 2010.  Since Regulation (EC) 
No  765/2008  sets  very  precise  rules  on  market  surveillance  and  penalties  which  would 
address  the  intention  of  the  amendments  referred  above,  it  is  suggested  to  introduce  a 
reference to this Regulation in Recital 21 and in a new Article 12 on enforcement. The current 
Article 12 on penalties is deleted as it becomes redundant with Article 41 of that Regulation. 

3.5. 

Comitology and Review (Articles 11 and 14) 

Snow and Nordic winter tyres tyres: Amendments 4, 12 and 31 introduce the possibility in 
comitology  to  adapt  the  labelling  scheme  to  the  technical  specificities  of  snow  and  Nordic 
winter tyres. While the Commission supports these amendments in principle, a problem arises 

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as to the lack of a precise definition of snow tyres (which is under progress at UNECE level) 
and the absence of definition of Nordic winter tyres. Taking these uncertainties into account, 
it  is  suggested  to  refer  to  "tyres  primarily  designed  to  achieve  in  ice  conditions,  in  snow 
conditions, or both, a performance better than that of a normal tyre with regard to its ability 
to  initiate  or  maintain  vehicle  motion"  instead  of  snow  tyres  or  Nordic  winter  tyres,  which 
will leave the regulatory committee the necessary room to adapt the label adequately once the 
definitions  will  be  well  known.  In  addition,  the  wording  of  Amendment  31  is  modified  in 
order to clarify the mandate of the European Commission within the comitology procedure. 
The proposed new wording for Article 11 indicates that the grip grading of those tyres may be 
adapted  to  their  technical  specificities  in  comitology.  This  means  in  practice  that,  until  an 
implementing measure is introduced for that purpose, these tyres are included in the scope of 
the labelling scheme and have to display information on fuel efficiency, wet grip and external 
rolling noise like all other tyres. A revised wording is also introduced in Recitals 10 and 24 to 
reflect this intention. 

Introduction  of  new  parameters  on  the  label:  The  deletion  of  Article  11  (2)  by 
Amendment  32  removes  the  possibility  to  add  new  parameters  on  the  label  through  the 
comitology procedure which the Commission accepts. Recital 24 is modified accordingly.  

Timing and scope of the review: Amendments 10 and 34 lists some of the elements to be 
considered in the review of the proposal and requires that this review takes place after three 
years of the proposal's entry into force instead of the five years initially proposed. The list is 
acceptable  in  principle  for  the  Commission  but  'three  years'  is  too  early  for  a  review.  A 
labelling scheme takes in average eight years to fully impact market transformation; in three 
years, not all end-users will have changed their tyres even once. In addition, the comitology 
procedure  in  Article  11  already  gives  the  room  for  adaptation  of  the  labelling  scheme  to 
technological changes if necessary.  

3.6. 

Date of application (Article 17) 

Early  implementation:  Amendment  5  specifies  that  stakeholders  should  be  encouraged  to 
label tyres before the mandatory application date of the proposal. Nothing in the current text 
forbids  placing  tyres  on  the  market  with  the  label  before  its  date  of  application.  The 
Commission therefore accepts this amendment 

Exemption  of  tyres  produced  before  1  July  2012  from  the  labelling  requirements: 
Amendment 45 excludes all tyres produced before 1 July 2012 from the  requirement to be 
labelled from 1 November 2012. The Commission does not see the need for exempting tyres 
produced before 1 July 2012. The industry will have had between 2 and 3 years to prepare for 
the  labelling  scheme,  which  should  be  sufficient.  In  addition,  this  amendment  appears 
disproportionate  compared  to  the  related  costs  and  complexity  of  market  surveillance  for 
Member States. 

4. 

CONCLUSION 

Having  regard  to  article  250(2)  of  the  EC  treaty,  the  Commission  modifies  its  proposal  as 
follows: 

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2008/0221 (COD) 

Amended pProposal for a 

REGULATION DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE 
COUNCIL  

on labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters 

Text with EEA-relevance 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 
95 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission2, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee3, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions4, 

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty5, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

Sustainable mobility is a major challenge facing the Community in the light of climate 
change  and  the  need  to  support  European  competitiveness  as  stressed  in  the 
Commission Communication on Greening Transport6.  

The Communication of the Commission "Action Plan on Energy Efficiency- Realising 
the potential"7 highlighted the potential to reduce total energy consumption by 20% by 
2020 by means of a list of targeted actions including labelling of tyres. 

Tyres, mainly because of their rolling resistance, account for 20% to 30% of the fuel 
consumption of vehicles. A reduction of the rolling resistance of tyres may therefore 
contribute  significantly  to  the  energy  efficiency  of  road  transport  and  thus  to  the 
reduction of emissions.  

2 
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7 

OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
COM(2008) 433 
(COM(2006)545).  

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(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

Tyres are characterised by a number of parameters which are interrelated. Improving 
one  parameter  such  as  rolling  resistance  may  have  an  adverse  impact  on  other 
parameters such as wet grip, while improving wet grip may have an adverse impact on 
external  rolling  noise.  Tyre  manufacturers  should  be  encouraged  to  optimise  all 
parameters. 

Fuel-efficient  tyres  are  cost-effective  as  fuel  savings  over-compensate  more  than 
compensate  for  the  increased  purchasing  price  of  tyres  stemming  from  higher 
production costs. 

[Regulation  (EC)  No  …/…  concerning  type-approval  requirements  for  the  general 
safety  of  motor  vehicles]8  sets  out  minimum  requirements  on  rolling  resistance  of 
tyres.  Technological  developments  make  it  possible  to  significantly  decrease  energy 
losses  due  to  tyre  rolling  resistance  beyond  those  minimum  requirements.  To  reduce 
the  environmental  impact  of  road  transport,  it  is  therefore  appropriate  to  lay  down 
provisions to encourage end-users to purchase more fuel efficient  tyres by providing 
them harmonised information about this parameter.  

Traffic noise is a significant nuisance and has a harmful effect on health. [Regulation 
(EC) No …/… concerning type-approval requirements for the general safety of motor 
vehicles]  sets  out  minimum  requirements  on  external  rolling  noise  of  tyres. 
Technological  developments  make  it  possible to  significantly  reduce  external  rolling 
noise  beyond  those  minimum  requirements.  To  reduce  traffic  noise,  it  is  therefore 
appropriate to lay down provisions to encourage end-users to purchase tyres with low 
external rolling noise by providing them harmonised information about this parameter. 

The  provision  of  harmonised  information  on  tyre  external  rolling  noise  would  also 
facilitate  the  implementation  of  measures  against  traffic  noise  and  contribute  to 
increased  awareness  of  the  effect  of  tyres  on  traffic  noise  within  the  framework  of 
Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 June 2002 
relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise9.  

[Regulation  (EC)  No  …/…  concerning  type-approval  requirements  for  the  general 
safety of motor vehicles] sets out minimum requirements on wet grip performance of 
tyres.  Technological  development  make  it  possible  to  significantly  improve  wet  grip 
beyond  those  minimum  requirements,  and  thus  to  reduce  wet  breaking  distances.  To 
improve  road  safety  it  is  therefore  appropriate  to  lay  down  provisions  to  encourage 
end-users  to  purchase  tyres  with  high  wet  grip  performance  by  providing  them 
harmonised information about this parameter. 

(10)  Other  tyre  parameters,  such  as  aquaplaning  or  handling  in  curves,  also  affect  road 
safety.  However,  at  this  stage,  harmonised  testing  methods  are  not  yet  available  in 
respect of such parameters. Therefore, it is appropriate to provide for the possibility, at 
a later stage and if necessary, of laying down provisions on harmonised information to 
end-users about such tyre parameters. 

(10)  The  provision  of  information  on  wet  grip  may  not  reflect  the  primary 
performance  of  tyres  specifically  designed  for  snow  and  ice  conditions.  Taking 

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[Proposal COM(2008) 316 under adoption,] OJ C , , p. . 
OJ L 189, 18.7.2002, p. 12. 

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into  account  the  fact  that  harmonised  testing  methods  are  not  yet  available  in 
respect  of  such  tyres,  it  is  appropriate  to  provide  for  the  possibility  of  adapting 
their grip grading in comitology at a later stage if necessary. 

(11)  The  provision  of  information  on  tyre  parameters  in  the  form  of  a  standard  label  is 
likely  to  influence  purchasing  decisions  by  end-users  in  favour  of  safer,  quieter  and 
more  fuel  efficient  tyres.  This  in  turn  is  likely  to  encourage  tyre  manufacturers  to 
optimise  those  tyre  parameters,  which  would  pave  the  way  for  more  sustainable 
consumption and production. 

(12)  Multiplicity of rules concerning labelling of tyres across Member States would create 
barriers  to  intra-Community  trade  and  increase  the  administrative  burden  and  testing 
costs for tyre manufacturers. 

(13)  Replacement  tyres  account  for  78%  of  the  tyre  market.  It  is  therefore  justified  to 
inform the end-user about the parameters of replacement tyres as well as tyres fitted on 
new vehicles.  

(14)  The  need  for  greater  information  on  tyre  fuel  efficiency  and  other  parameters  is 
relevant for consumers, including fleet managers and transport companies, who cannot 
easily compare the parameters of different tyre brands in the absence of a labelling and 
harmonised testing regime. It is therefore appropriate to include C1, C2 and C3 tyres 
in the scope of the Regulation directive.  

(15)  The  energy  label  which  ranks  products  on  a  scale  from  “A  to  G”,  as  applied  to 
household appliances pursuant to Directive 1992/75/EC on the indication by labelling 
and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by 
household appliances10, is well known by consumers and has proven to be successful 
in  promoting  more  efficient  appliances.  The  same  design  should  be  used  for  the 
labelling of tyre fuel efficiency.  

(16)  The display of a label on tyres at the point of sale, as well as in technical promotional 
literature,  should  ensure  that  distributors  as  well  as  potential  end-users  receive 
harmonised  information  on  tyre  fuel  efficiency,  wet  grip  performance  and  external 
rolling noise. 

(17)  Some end-users choose tyres before arriving at the point of sale or purchase tyres by 
mail  order.  To  ensure  that  those  end-users can  also  make  an  informed  choice  on  the 
basis  of  harmonised  information  on  tyre  fuel  efficiency,  wet  grip  performance  and 
external  rolling  noise,  labels  should  be  displayed  in  all  technical  promotional 
literature, including where such literature is made available on the Internet.  

(18)  Potential  end-users  should  be  provided  with  information  explaining  each 
component of the label and its relevance. This information should be provided in 
technical promotional literature such as suppliers' websites. 

(198)  Information  should  be  provided  in  accordance  with  the  harmonised  testing  methods 
that  should  be  reliable,  accurate  and  reproducible,  in  order  to  laid  down  in 
[Regulation  (EC)  No  …/…  concerning  type-approval  requirements  for  the  general 

10 

OJ L 297, 13.10.1992, p. 16. 

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safety  of  motor  vehicles]  to  enable  end-users  to  compare  different  tyres  and  to  limit 
testing costs for manufacturers. 

(2019) In  order  to  reduce  greenhouse  gases  emissions  and  increase  the  safety  of  road 
transport, some Where Member States may put in place incentives in favour of fuel-
efficient  and  safer  tyres.  I,  it  is  appropriate  that  minimum  fuel  efficiency  and  wet 
grip  classes  be  determined  below  which  such  incentives  may  not  be  granted  in 
order to avoid fragmentation of the internal market. Such incentives might constitute 
State aid. This Regulation Directive is without prejudice to the outcome of any future 
State aid procedure that may be undertaken in accordance with Articles 87 and 88 of 
the Treaty in their respect. 

(2120) Compliance with provisions on labelling by manufacturers, suppliers and distributors 
is essential to achieve the aims of those provisions and to ensure a level playing field 
within  the  Community.  Member  States  should  therefore  monitor  such  compliance 
through  market  surveillance  and  regular  ex-post  controls  in  accordance  with 
Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 
July 2008 setting out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance 
relating  to  the  marketing  of  products  and  repealing  Regulation  (EEC)  No 
339/9311. 

(2221) Tyre  suppliers  and  distributors  should  be  encouraged  to  comply  with  the 
provisions of this Regulation before 2012 to speed up the recognition of the label 
and realisation of its benefits. 

(2321) The measures necessary to implement this Directive Regulation should be adopted in 
accordance  with  Council  Decision  1999/468/EC  of  28  June  1999  laying  down  the 
procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission12. 

(2422) In particular, power should be conferred on the Commission to introduce requirements 
with respect to wet grip grading of C2 and C3 tyres classes, to introduce essential tyre 
parameters  other  than  fuel  efficiency,  wet  grip  and  external  rolling  noise  adapt  the 
grip grading of tyres specifically designed for snow and ice conditions and to adapt 
the Annexes to technical progress. Since those measures are of general scope and are 
this  Regulation  Directive  by 
designed 
supplementing  it,  they  must  be  adopted  in  accordance  with  the  regulatory  procedure 
with scrutiny provided for in Article 5a of Decision 1999/468/EC. 

to  amend  non-essential  elements  of 

(25)  A  review  of  this  Regulation  should  be  undertaken  to  determine  end-users' 
understanding of the label and its ability to achieve market transformation. 

11 
12 

OJ L 218, 13.8.2008, p. 30 
OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23. 

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HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION DIRECTIVE: 

Article 1 
Aim and subject matter 

The aim of this Regulation Directive is to increase the safety, economic and environmental 
fuel-efficiency of road transport by promoting fuel-efficient, safe and low-noise tyres. 

This  Regulation  Directive  establishes  a  framework  for  the  provision  of  harmonised 
information on tyre parameters through labelling, allowing consumers to make an informed 
choice when purchasing tyres.  

Article 2 
Scope 

1. 

2. 

This Regulation Directive shall apply to C1, C2 and C3 tyres.  

By derogation from paragraph 1, this Regulation Directive shall not apply to:  

(a) 

re-treaded tyres;  

(b)  off-road professional tyres; 

(c) 

tyres designed to be fitted only to vehicles registered for the first time before 1. 
October 1990;  

(d)  T-type temporary-use spare tyres; 

(e) 

tyres whose speed rating is less than 80 km/h; 

(f) 

(g) 

tyres whose  nominal  rim diameter does  not  exceed  254  mm  or  is  635  mm  or 
more;  

tyres  fitted  with  additional  devices  to  improve  traction  properties,  such  as 
studded tyres. 

For the purpose of this Regulation Directive :  

Article 3 
Definitions 

(1) 

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‘C1, C2 and C3 tyres’ means the tyre classes defined in Article 8 of [Regulation (EC) 
No  …/…  concerning  type-approval  requirements  for  the  general  safety  of  motor 
vehicles]13; 

[NB: The current tyre classification of the proposal for a Regulation (COM(2008)316) has omitted light 
duty vehicles (N1). There is an agreement at Council level to revise the definition proposed in Article 8 
of COM(2008) 316 to include N1 tyres, the agreement will be reached in October at the latest before the 

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(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

(10) 

(11) 

(12) 

‘T-type temporary-use spare tyre’ means a temporary-use spare tyre designed for use 
at inflation pressures higher than those established for standard and reinforced tyres; 

‘point of sale’ means a location where tyres are displayed, or stored or and offered 
for sale to end-users, including car show rooms as regards displayed tyres offered 
for sale to end-users which are not fitted on the vehicles;  

‘technical promotional literature’ means technical manuals, brochures, leaflets and 
catalogues  either  all  printed  or  in  and  electronic  form  as  well  as  internet 
marketing,  material  used  in  the  promotion  marketing  of  tyres  or  vehicles  and 
aimed at end-users or distributors which describes the specific parameters of a tyre, 
including technical manuals, brochures, Internet marketing, leaflets and catalogues; 

‘technical  documentation’  means  information  relating  to  tyres,  including  the 
manufacturer  and  brand  of  the  tyre;  description  of  the  tyre  type  or  the  grouping  of 
tyres  determined  for  the  declaration  of  the  fuel  efficiency  class,  wet  grip  class  and 
external rolling noise measured value; test reports and testing accuracy.  

‘manufacturer’ means any natural or legal person who manufactures a product, or has 
a  product  designed  or  manufactured  and  markets  that  product  under  his  name  or 
trademark; 

‘importer’ means any natural or legal person established within the Community who 
places a product from a third country on the Community market; 

‘supplier’ means the manufacturer or its authorised representative in the Community 
or the importer;  

‘distributor’  means  any  natural  or  legal  person  in  the  supply  chain,  other  than  the 
supplier or the importer, who makes a tyre available on the market;  

‘making available on the market’ means any supply of a product for distribution or 
use  on  the  Community  market  in  the  course  of  a  commercial  activity,  whether  in 
return for payment or free of charge;  

‘end-user’ means a consumer, including a fleet manager or road transport company 
that is buying or expected to buy a tyre;  

‘essential parameter’ means a tyre  parameter such as  rolling  resistance, wet grip or 
external  rolling  noise  that  has  a  notable  impact  on  the  environment,  road  safety  or 
health during use. 

Article 4 
Responsibilities of tyre suppliers 

Member States shall ensure that tyre suppliers comply with the following provisions: 

adoption of this proposal for a Directive on tyre labelling- this is for information during the legislative 
procedure and must be deleted at the time of adoption].  

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1.(1) 

Ssuppliers  shall  ensure  that  C1  and  C2  tyres, which  are delivered to distributors or 
end-users, are equipped with a sticker on the tyre tread displaying a label indicating 
the fuel efficiency class as set out in Annex I, Part A and the external rolling noise 
measured value as set out in Annex I, Part C. 

C1 tyre labels shall also indicate the wet grip class as set out in Annex I, Part B. 

2.(2) 

3.(3) 

4. 

5.(4) 

Tthe format of the sticker referred to in paragraph 1 shall be as prescribed in Annex 
II. 

Ssuppliers shall state the fuel efficiency class, wet grip class and the external rolling 
noise measured value and where applicable, the wet grip class, of C1, C2 and C3 
tyres on technical promotional literature as set out in Annex I in the order specified 
in  Annex  III;  for  C2  and  C3  tyres  the  measured  rolling  resistance  coefficient 
shall also be stated. 

Suppliers shall make the rolling resistance coefficient, the external rolling noise 
measured  value  and  where  applicable,  the  wet  grip  index,  of  C1,  C2  and  C3 
tyres publicly available on their websites. 

Ssuppliers  shall  make  technical  documentation  available  to  the  authorities  of 
Member States on request, for a period ending five years after the last tyre of a given 
tyre type has been made available on the market; the technical documentation shall 
be  sufficiently  detailed  as  to  allow  the  authorities  to  verify  the  accuracy  of 
information  provided  on  the  label  on  fuel  efficiency,  wet  grip  and  external  rolling 
noise. 

Article 5 
Responsibilities of tyre distributors 

Member States shall ensure that tyre distributors comply with the following provisions: 

1.(1)  Ddistributors shall ensure that tyres, at the point of sale, bear the sticker provided by 

suppliers in accordance with Article 4(1) in a clearly visible position. 

2.(2)  Wwhere  tyres  offered  for  sale  are  not  visible  to  the  end-user,  distributors  shall 
provide  end-user  with  information  on  the  fuel  efficiency  class,  wet  grip  class  and 
external rolling noise measured value of those tyres. 

3.(3) 

Ffor  C1,  and  C2  and  C3  tyres,  distributors  shall  provide  state,  the  fuel  efficiency 
class and, the external rolling noise measured value and where applicable, the wet 
grip class, as set out in Annex I on or  with the bills delivered to end-users when 
they purchase tyres. For C1 tyres, the wet grip class shall also be provided.  

Article 6 
Responsibilities of vehicle car suppliers and vehicle car distributors 

Member States shall ensure that car suppliers and car distributors comply with the following 
provisions: 

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1.(1) 

car  Vehicle  suppliers  and  car  vehicle  distributors  shall  ensure  that  technical 
promotional  literature  provides  information  on  tyres  which  are  fitted  on  new 
vehicles; that information shall include the fuel efficiency class as set out in Annex I, 
Part A, the external rolling noise measured value as set out in Annex I, Part C and, 
for C1 tyres the wet grip class as set out in Annex I, Part B, in the order specified in 
Annex  III.  That  information  shall  be  included  in  at  least  the  technical 
promotional  literature  in  electronic  form  and  shall  be  provided  to  end-users 
before the sale of the vehicle. 

2.(2)  Wwhere different tyre types may be fitted on a new vehicle, without end-users being 
offered  a  choice  between  them  and  end-users  are  not  offered  a  choice  between 
them,  the  information  referred  to  in  paragraph  1  shall  state  the  lowest  fuel 
efficiency class, wet grip class and the highest external rolling noise measured value 
of these  tyre types shall  be  mentioned in the technical promotional literature in the 
order specified in Annex III. 

3.(3)  Wwhere end-users are offered a choice between different tyre types to be fitted on a 
new  vehicle,  car  suppliers  shall  state  the  fuel  efficiency  class,  wet  grip  class  and 
external rolling noise measured value of these tyre types in the technical promotional 
literature in the order specified in Annex III the following shall apply: 

(a)  where end-users are offered a choice between different tyre rim sizes but 
not between other parameters of the tyre type, the information referred to 
in  paragraph  1  shall  mention  for  each  tyre  rim  size,  the  lowest  fuel 
efficiency  class,  wet  grip  class  and  the  highest  external  rolling  noise 
measured value; 

(b) 

except  in  cases  covered  in  point  (a)  of  this  paragraph  the  information 
referred  to  in  paragraph  1  shall  state  the  fuel  efficiency  class,  wet  grip 
class and external rolling noise measured value of all tyre types which may 
be chosen by the end-user. 

(4) 

where  end-users  are  offered  a  choice  between  different  tyre  types  to  be  fitted  on  a 
new  vehicle,  car  distributors  shall  provide  information  on  the  fuel  efficiency  class, 
wet  grip  class  and  external  rolling  noise  measured  value  of  these  tyre  types  before 
sale. 

Article 7 
Harmonised testing methods  

The  information  to  be  provided  under  Articles  4,  5  and  6  on  the  fuel  efficiency  class,  the 
external  rolling  noise  measured  value,  and  the  wet  grip  class  of  tyres  shall  be  obtained  by 
applying the harmonised testing methods referred to in Annex I. 

Article 8  
Verification procedure 

Member States shall assess the conformity of the declared fuel efficiency and wet grip classes, 
within  the  meaning  of  Annex  I,  Parts  A  and  B,  and  the  declared  external  rolling  noise 

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measured value within the meaning of Annex I, Part C, in accordance with the procedure laid 
down in Annex IV. 

For the conformity assessment, Member States may make use of the tyre type approval 
documentation provided in accordance with the Regulation (EC) No …/… [concerning 
type-approval  requirements  for  the  general  safety  of  motor  vehicles]14  in  addition  to 
technical documentation provided in accordance with Article 4 (5). 

Article 9 
Internal market 

1. 

2. 

Where the provisions of this Regulation Directive are satisfied, Member States shall 
neither prohibit nor restrict the making available of tyres on the market on grounds of 
product information covered by this Regulation Directive.  

Unless they have evidence to the contrary, Member States shall consider that labels 
and  product  information  comply  with  the  provisions  of  this  Regulation  Directive. 
They may require suppliers to provide technical documentation, in accordance with 
Article 4 (5), in order to assess the accuracy of the declared values. 

Article 10 
Incentives 

Member States shall not provide incentives with regard to tyres below class C with respect to 
either fuel efficiency level or wet grip class C within the meaning of Annex I Parts A and B 
respectively.  

Article 11 
Amendments and adaptations to technical progress 

The  following  measures  designed  to  amend  non-essential  elements  of  this  Regulation 
Directive by, inter alia, supplementing it shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory 
procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 13 (2):  

(1) 

(2) 

introduction  of  requirements  with  respect  to  wet  grip  grading  of  C2  and  C3  tyres, 
provided that suitable harmonised testing methods are available; 

introduction  of  requirements  with  respect  to  other  essential  parameters  insofar  as 
those  parameters  affect  the  environment,  health  or  safety,  provided  that  suitable 
harmonised  testing  methods  are  available  and  provided  that  such  requirements  are 
cost-effective  adaptation,  where  relevant,  of  the  grip  grading  to  the  technical 
specificities  of  tyres  primarily  designed  to  achieve  in  ice  conditions,  in  snow 
conditions, or both, a better performance than that of a normal tyre with regard 
to its ability to initiate or maintain vehicle motion;  

(3) 

adaptation of Annexes I to IV to technical progress. 

14 

OJ …, …2009, p. 

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Article 12 
Enforcement  

Member  States  shall  ensure  that  the  authorities  responsible  for  market  surveillance 
verify  compliance  with  the  requirements  of  this  Regulation  in  accordance  with 
Regulation  (EC)  No  765/2008  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council,  in 
particular in accordance with Article 41 of that Regulation laying down penalties.  

1. 

2. 

1. 

2. 

1. 

Article 12 
Penalties 

Member States shall lay down the rules on penalties applicable to infringements of 
the national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive and shall take the measures 
necessary to ensure that they are implemented.  

The  penalties  provided  for  must  be  effective,  proportionate  and  dissuasive.  The 
Member  States  shall  notify  those  provisions  to  the  Commission  no  later  than 
eighteen months after the entry into force of this Directive and shall notify it without 
delay of any subsequent amendment affecting those provisions.  

Article 13 
Committee  

The Commission shall be assisted by a committee.  

Where  reference  is  made  to  this  paragraph,  Articles  5a(1)  to  (4)  and  Article  7  of 
Decision  1999/468/EC  shall  apply,  having  regard  to  the  provisions  of  Article  8 
thereof. 

Article 14 
Review 

Not later than 5 years after the date of application of this Regulation Directive, tThe 
Commission shall assess the need to review this Regulation, considering inter alia: 
the energy efficiency and wet grip classes as laid down in Annex I.  

(a) 

the effectiveness of the label in terms of end-user awareness; 

(b)  whether  the  labelling  scheme  should  be  extended  to  include  retreaded 

tyres; 

(c)  whether new tyre parameters should be introduced;  

(d) 

the  information  on  tyre  parameters  provided  by  vehicle  suppliers  and 
distributors to end-users. 

2. 

The  Commission  shall  present  the  result  of  this  assessment  to  the  European 
Parliament and the Council no later than 5 years after the date of application of this 
Regulation. 

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Article 15 
Transposition 

1. 

2. 

1. 

2. 

Member States shall adopt and publish by 1 November 2011 at the latest, the laws, 
regulations  and  administrative  provisions  necessary  to  comply  with  this  Directive. 
They  shall  forthwith  communicate  to  the  Commission  the  text  of  those  provisions 
and a correlation table between those provisions and this Directive.  

They shall apply those provisions from 1 November 2012.  

When  Member  States  adopt  those  provisions,  they  shall  contain  a  reference  to  this 
Directive  or  be  accompanied  by  such  a  reference  on  the  occasion  of  their  official 
publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.   

Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions 
of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.  

Article 16 15 
Entry into force 

This Regulation Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that 
of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. 

This Regulation shall apply from 1 November 2012.  

This  Regulation  shall  be  binding  in  its  entirety  and  directly  applicable  in  all  Member 
States. 

Article 17 

This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the European Parliament 
The President 

For the Council 
The President 

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Annex I 
Grading of tyre parameters 

Part A: Fuel efficiency classes 

The fuel efficiency class must be determined on the basis of the rolling resistance coefficient 
(RRC)  according  to  the  "A  to  G"  scale  specified  below  and  measured  in  accordance  with 
UNECE Regulation No 11715 and its subsequent amendments. 

If a tyre type is approved for more than one tyre class (e.g. C1 and C2), the grading scale used 
to determine the fuel efficiency class of this tyre type should be that which is applicable to the 
highest tyre class (e.g. C2, not C1).  

C1 tyres 

C2 tyres 

C3 tyres 

RRC in kg/t 

Energy 
efficiency 
class 

RRC in kg/t 

RRC in kg/t 

Energy 
efficiency 
class 

Energy 
efficiency 
class 

RRC≤6.5 

6.6≤RRC≤7.7 

7.8≤RRC≤9.0 

Empty 

9.1≤RRC≤10.5 

10.6≤RRC≤12.0 

RRC≥12.1 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

RRC≤5.5 

5.6≤RRC≤6.7 

6.8≤RRC≤8.0 

Empty 

8.1≤RRC≤9.2 

9.3≤RRC≤10.5 

RRC≥10.6 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

RRC≤4.0 

4.1≤RRC≤5.0 

5.1≤RRC≤6.0 

6.1≤RRC≤7.0 

7.1≤RRC≤8.0 

RRC≥8.1 

Empty 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

15 

OJ L 231, 29.08.2008, p. 19.  

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Part B: Wet Grip Classes  

The wet grip classes of C1 tyres must be determined on the basis of the wet grip index (G) 
according  to  the  "A  to  G"  scale  specified  below  and  measured  in  accordance  with  UNECE 
Regulation  117  and  its  subsequent  amendments  on  uniform  provisions  concerning  the 
approval of tyres with regard to rolling sound emissions and to adhesion on wet surfaces. 

G 

155≤G 

140≤G≤154 

125≤G≤139 

Empty 

110≤G≤124 

G≤109  

Empty 

Wet grip classes 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

Part C: External Rolling noise  

The  external  rolling  noise  measured  value  shall  be  declared  in  decibels  and  measured  in 
accordance  with  UNECE  Regulation  117  and  its  subsequent  amendments  on  uniform 
provisions  concerning  the  approval  of  tyres  with  regard  to  rolling  sound  emissions  and  to 
adhesion on wet surfaces.  

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Annex II: Format of the label 

The sticker referred to in Articles 4(1) and 5(1) consists of two parts: (1) a label printed in the 
format described below and (2) a space where the name of the supplier and the tyre line, tyre 
dimension,  load  index,  speed  rating  and  other  technical  specification  are  displayed 
(hereinafter “brand space”). 

1. 

1.1 

Label design 

The  label  printed  on  the  sticker,  referred  to  in  Articles  4(1)  and  5(1),  must  be  in 
accordance with the illustration below: 

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EN 

20 

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1.2 

The following provides specifications for the label: 

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21 

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1.3 

The label must be at least 75 mm wide and 110 mm high. Where the label is printed 
in  a  larger  format,  its  content  must  nevertheless  remain  proportionate  to  the 
specifications above.  

1.4 

The label must conform to the following requirements:  

(a) Colours are CMYK – cyan, magenta, yellow and black – and are given following 
this example: 00-70-X-00: 0 % cyan, 70 % magenta, 100 % yellow, 0 % black; 

(b) The numbers listed below refer to the legends indicated in section 1.2;  

  Fuel efficiency  

Pictogram  as  supplied:  width:  19.5  mm,  height:  18.5  mm  –  Frame  for 
pictogram  stroke:  3.5  pt,  width:  26  mm,  height:  23  mm  –  Frame  for  grading: 
stroke: 1 pt – Frame end: stroke: 3.5 pt, width: 36 mm – Colour: X-10-00-05;  

  Wet grip  

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Pictogram as supplied: width: 19 mm, height: 19 mm – Frame for pictogram: 
stroke: 3.5 pt, width: 26 mm, height: 23 mm – Frame for grading: stroke: 1 pt – 
Frame end: stroke: 3.5 pt, width: 26 mm – Colour: X-10-00-05; 

  External rolling noise  

Pictogram as supplied: width: 23 mm, height: 15 mm – Frame for pictogram: 
stroke: 3.5 pt, width: 26 mm, height: 24 mm – Frame for value: stroke: 1 pt – 
Frame end: stroke: 3.5 pt, height: 24 mm – Colour: X-10-00-05; 

Label border: stroke: 1.5 pt – Colour: X-10-00-05; 

  A-G scale  

– 

Arrows: height: 4.75 mm, gap: 0.75 mm, black stroke: 0.5 pt – colours: 

(cid:121) 

(cid:121) 

(cid:121) 

(cid:121) 

(cid:121) 

(cid:121) 

(cid:121) 

A: X-00-X-00; 

B: 70-00-X-00; 

C: 30-00-X-00; 

D: 00-00-X-00; 

E: 00-30-X-00; 

F: 00-70-X-00; 

G: 00-X-X-00. 

– 

Text: Helvetica Bold 12 pt, 100% white, black outline: 0.5 pt; 

  Grading  

– 

– 

Arrow: width: 16 mm, height: 10 mm, 100% black; 

Text: Helvetica Bold 27 pt, 100% white; 

Lines in scale: stroke: 0.5 pt, dashed line interval: 5.5 mm, 100% black; 

Scale text: Helvetica Bold 11 pt, 100% black; 

  Value of noise 

– 

– 

– 

Box: width: 25 mm, height: 10 mm, 100% black; 

Text: Helvetica Bold 20 pt, 100% white; 

Unit text: Helvetica Bold Regular for ‘(A)’ 13 pt, 100% white; 

  EU logo: width: 9 mm, height: 6 mm; 

  Regulation Directive reference: Helvetica Regular 7.5 pt, 100% black; 

Tyre class reference: Helvetica Bold 7.5 pt, 100% black; 

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1.5 

2. 

2.1 

(c) The background must be white. 

The tyre class (C1, C2 or C3) must be indicated on the label in the format prescribed 
in the illustration in section 1.2. 

Brand space 

Suppliers must add their name, the tyre line, tyre dimension, load index, speed rating 
and other  technical  specifications on the sticker along with the label in any colour, 
format and design, provided that the proportional size of brand space does not exceed 
a  4:5  ratio  against  the  size  of  the  label  and  the  message  published  along  with  the 
label does not disrupt the message of the label.  

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Annex III 
Information provided in technical promotional literature 

1. 

Information on tyres shall be provided in the order specified as follows:  

(i) 

the  fuel  efficiency  class  (letter  A  to  G);  for  C2  and  C3  tyres,  the  rolling 
resistance coefficient is also stated; 

(ii) 

the wet grip class (letter A to G)  

(iii) 

the external rolling noise measured value (dB).  

2. 

Theis information provided in point 1 must meet the following requirements: 

(i) 

be easy to read; 

(ii)  be easy to understand; 

(iii) 

if different grading is available for a given tyre type depending on dimension 
or  other  parameters,  the  range  between  the  least  and  best  performing  tyre  is 
stated. 

3. 

Suppliers must also make available on their website: 

(i) 

an explanation of the pictograms printed on the label; 

(ii) 

a statement highlighting the fact that actual fuel savings and road safety heavily 
depend on the drivers' behaviour, in particular the following:  

– 

– 

– 

eco-driving can significantly reduce fuel consumption;  

tyre  pressure  should  be  regularly  checked  for  higher  wet  grip  and  fuel 
efficiency performance characteristics; 

stopping distances should always be strictly respected. 

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Annex IV: Verification procedure 

The  conformity  of  the  declared  fuel  efficiency  and  wet  grip  classes  as  well  as  the  declared 
external rolling noise measured value shall be assessed for each tyre type or each grouping of 
tyres as determined by the supplier; according to the following procedure:  

(1) 

(2) 

a single  tyre  shall be tested first.  If the measured  value meets the declared class or 
external rolling noise measured value, the test is passed;  

if  the  measured  value  does  not  meet  the  declared  class  or  external  rolling  noise 
measured  value,  three  more  tyres  shall  be  tested.  The  average  measurement  value 
stemming  from  the  four  tyres  tested  shall  be  used  to  assess  accordance  with  the 
declared information. 

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