ETRMA backs changes to tyre labelling regulation
The European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) has had its say on the outcome of the European Parliament plenary vote on replacing the 2009 Tyre Labelling Regulation.
The association has made some essential points by completing its report within the current legislative term and is now entering the final phase of the review.
ETRMA is waiting the new European Parliament to move this file into trilogues in the second half of 2019. This will allow for an improved Regulation to be adopted in early 2020.
ETRMA Secretary General, Fazilet Cinaralp commented: “This is a positive step taken by the European Parliament towards an ambitious, forward-looking Tyre Labelling Regulation. The European tyre industry already today offers high performance tyres made available to consumers and vehicle manufacturers, and the tyre label is there to inform consumers.”
For the trilogue negotiations going forward, ETRMA and the European tyre industry call upon the European Institutions to remain focused on the following central objectives of the Tyre Labelling Regulation:
- Raise consumer awareness of the tyre label and rolling resistance, wet grip and noise performances.
- Include Snow or Ice logo on the label, when applicable.
- Reinforce the visibility of the Tyre Label at both physical and online purchases.
- Incentivise a market uptake of high performance tyres in the general interest of road and passenger safety and the environment.
- Improve enforcement and market surveillance.
- Establish a publicly available product database and include a QR code on the label.
Cinaralp continued: “To explore the full potential of the existing tyre technology strong incentives must be promoted to assist the necessary market uptake. The tyre label is an important instrument to inform consumers on the performance of the individual tyre, but currently lacks visibility and consumer awareness.”
ETRMA states that the European tyre industry is working towards assessing the feasibility of a reliable and representative test method for measuring tyre tread abrasion and supports the Commission’s call for a reliable test method for tyre tread abrasion rate.
However, this would require a full revision of the Regulation and cannot be carried out via delegated act, as proposed by the Commission. The process is still in its infancy and needs to be completed before any measure can be introduced.
Cinaralp concluded: “The European tyre industry is fully engaged in the environmental challenges of tyres including the need for development of a reliable test method to measure abrasion performances, a work already initiated by the industry. Our ambitions are high and we remain devoted to provide technical solutions for the changes in environmental and societal needs.”