EU agrees tyre labelling deal
Thu 15 October 2009
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Within three years, all new tyres will have to be accompanied by a label displaying information on fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise performance under new legislation agreed by member states and MEPs on October 1. Under a compromise reached between the European Parliament and member states in the EU Council of Ministers, a label similar to the energy information provided with household appliances will have to accompany tyres distributed from a factory to a shop or a garage from 1 November 2012.
MEPs backed a clause proposed by the European Commission that would have phased out by 2014 an option to show consumers a label before purchase in favour of a mandatory sticker on the tyre. However, the Swedish presidency refused to support it. In the end, both sides agreed to review the situation in February 2016.
The Brussels-based transport group T&E has concerns, though, about the effectiveness of the scheme. In a press release the group said: "Much will now depend on what happens in tyre shops and garages and how much national governments insist on the labels being accessible".
T&E's policy officer, Nina Renshaw commented: "There is so much for everyone to gain from good tyre information, but people must have access to the information. They can save money, improve their safety, reduce noise and help the environment, but only if they know how. That’s why the idea of attaching the label to the tyre itself is so important."
Centre-right MEP rapporteur Ivo Belet emphasised the minimal additional cost the agreement would entail for tyre manufacturers.
However, ENDS reports that an EU source suggested the environmental integrity of the proposal had been compromised to help seal agreements on two other draft energy efficiency laws.
The tyre maker Michelin told Reuters that it would prefer mandatory labels and that it would be putting the labels on its tyres even if it is not obligated to.
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