The European Affairs Ministers of the Member States formally approved the provisional agreement with the European Parliament on the revision of the labelling rules for tyres (1222/2009) (see EUROPE 12370/8) on Tuesday 25 February at a meeting of the General Affairs Council (see other news).
These new rules aim to make tyre labels more legible and clearer for consumers.
The agreement provides, among other things, that labels will have to include energy efficiency information and icons for grip on snow and ice.
It also includes provisions for the addition of parameters for mileage and tyre abrasion - one of the main sources of microplastics in the environment - as soon as suitable test methods are available.
"The new labels are a tangible benefit for consumers all over Europe and will provide more information on fuel consumption efficiency, safety and external noise. These rules will also have an impact on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions", welcomed Tomislav Ćorić, Croatian Minister of Environmental Protection and Energy.
While this agreement had already been confirmed by the Council of the European Union on 16 December, at that point it was only a purely procedural step and not a formal approval by the EU Council, contrary to what EUROPE had written (see EUROPE 12390/14).
On Parliament's side, the members of Parliament's Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) - which approved the agreement at first reading on 4 December 2019 - are expected to adopt the text at second reading on 18 March. The agreement will then still have to be confirmed by the European Parliament plenary to be definitively ratified. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)