F.A.Q.

Find an answer to your questions concerning this new tyre label.

• Why has the EU introduced this new tyre regulation label?

  The aim of this label is to inform you on the safety performance of tyres by indicating a tyre's wet grip performance, and on the environmental aspects by showing how fuel-efficient the tyre is and how much exterior noise it produces. With the introduction of this label on all tyres, it becomes easier to compare tyres of different brands, giving you the opportunity to make an informed decision on all relevant aspects. Also, the label will help you choose safer and more fuel-efficient tyres, which has a positive impact on general safety and economic and environmental efficiency.

• What aspects will be integrated in the new label?

  You will find three indicators on the EU tyre label: wet grip, fuel efficiency and exterior noise.

• Why are these aspects integrated in the new label?

  With information on fuel efficiency, wet grip and exterior noise, you have all the information to make a balanced purchasing decision. Moreover, many aspects of a tyre are interrelated, and therefore an integrated label provides more valuable information than a label consisting of one aspect only.

• Where and when can I find the EU tyre label?

  From November 1, 2012, at the latest, all tyres that are on display at a tyre dealer, garage or showroom should have a sticker with the tyre label on it, or have the EU tyre regulation label displayed close to it.
  When buying tyres that are not on display, but in storage rooms or on inventory lists for instance, you should always get the information of the EU tire label before you actually buy the tyre.
  Moreover, you will find the information on all three aspects on your invoice or in an information leaflet that you will receive together with your invoice.

• Are the rules the same in every country?

  As this is a European Regulation which becomes directly applicable and binding in all of the European Member States, the rules will be identical throughout the European Union.

• What does wet grip indicate?

  It provides consumers with information on an important safety aspect of tyres: their grip on wet roads. Improved wet grip reduces the braking distance on wet roads.

• How is wet grip expressed in the EU tyre regulation label

  Wet grip is expressed in grades ranging from A to G, similar to existing energy efficiency labels found on domestic appliances such as refrigerators. 'A' is the highest performance tyre in its category; 'G' is the lowest.

• How is fuel efficiency expressed in the EU tyre regulation label?

  Fuel efficiency is expressed in grades ranging from A to G, similar to existing energy efficiency labels found on domestic appliances such as refrigerators. A is the highest performance tire in its category; G is currently the least performing, but nevertheless legally compliant, tyre.

• Why is fuel efficiency indicated in a color diagram and wet grip not?

  The fuel efficiency diagram makes use of the standardised pictogram of energy consumption introduced by the European Union, which includes colorus for each grade. Since wet grip does not relate to energy consumption, the same colours cannot be used.

• How is the exterior rolling tyre noise expressed EU tyre regulation label?

  The exterior tyre noise is expressed in decibels, accompanied by one, two or three sound waves. One wave indicates the best performance, which means that the noise level of the tyre is at least 3 dB below the future legal limit. Three black waves is the weakest performance and represents a noise level in between the current maximum limit and the new, lower limit that will be introduced in Regulation 661, coming into force between 2012 and 2016.

• In what form will the EU tyre regulation label be presented?

  There are two possibilities foreseen in the EU tyre Regulation. The first one is that the label will be provided as a sticker to be applied directly on the tyre tread.
  The second one foresees that the tyre dealers will be provided with a printed label accompanying each batch of identical tyres delivered. For tyres visible to consumers this label must be shown to the consumer and displayed in close proximity of the tyres at the point of sale.