COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 1235/2011
of 29 November 2011
amending Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the wet grip grading of tyres, the measurement of rolling resistance and the verification procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters (1), and in particular Article 11(a) and (c) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council aims at establishing a framework for the provision of harmonised information on tyre parameters through labelling, allowing end-users to make an informed choice when purchasing tyres.
(2)
The rolling resistance of tyres determines their fuel efficiency grading. Measurement of rolling resistance must be reproducible; tests on the same tyres in different laboratories must produce the same results in order to ensure a fair comparison between tyres from different suppliers. In addition, a good reproducibility of testing results prevents market surveillance authorities from obtaining different results from those of the suppliers when testing the same tyres.
(3)
A procedure for the alignment of test laboratories with regard to the measurement of rolling resistance would improve the reproducibility of the testing results.
(4)
Since a suitable harmonised testing method of grip on wet roads has been developed at ISO level, a wet grip grading of C2 and C3 tyres should now be introduced, in accordance with Article 11 (a) of Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009.
(5)
The clarity of the conformity verification procedure set out in Annex IV of Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 should be improved by introducing thresholds according to which the declared values used for the labelling requirements are considered to be in compliance with that Regulation.
(6)
Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(7)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Amendment to Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009
Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 is amended as follows:
(1)
Annex I, part A: Fuel efficiency classes, the first sentence is replaced by the following:
‘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 Annex 6 of UNECE Regulation No 117 and its subsequent amendments and aligned according to the procedure laid down in Annex IVa.’;
(2)
in Annex I, part B: Wet grip classes, the text and table are replaced by the following:
‘1.
The wet grip class of C1 tyres must be determined on the basis of the wet grip index (G) according to the “A” to “G” scale specified in the table below, calculated in accordance with point 3 and measured in accordance with Annex V.
2.
The wet grip class of C2 and C3 tyres must be determined on the basis of the wet grip index (G) according to the “A” to “G” scale specified in the table below, calculated in accordance with point (3) and measured in accordance with ISO 15222:2011 whereby the following Standard Reference Test Tyres (SRTT) must be used:
(i)
for C2 tyres, the SRTT 225/75 R 16 C, ASTM F 2872-11;
(ii)
for C3 tyres having Nominal Section Width lower than 285 mm, the SRTT 245/70R19.5, ASTM F 2871-11;
(iii)
for C3 tyres having Nominal Section Width greater than or equal to 285 mm, the SRTT 315/70R22.5, ASTM F 2870-11.
3.
Calculation of wet grip index (G)
G = G(T) - 0,03
where: G(T) = wet grip index of the candidate tyre as measured in one test cycle
C1 tyres
C2 tyres
C3 tyres
G
Wet grip class
G
Wet grip class
G
Wet grip class
1,55 ≤ G
A
1,40 ≤ G
A
1,25 ≤ G
A
1,40 ≤ G ≤ 1,54
B
1,25 ≤ G ≤ 1,39
B
1,10 ≤ G ≤ 1,24
B
1,25 ≤ G ≤ 1,39
C
1,10 ≤ G ≤ 1,24
C
0,95 ≤ G ≤ 1,09
C
Empty
D
Empty
D
0,80 ≤ G ≤ 0,94
D
1,10 ≤ G ≤ 1,24
E
0,95 ≤ G ≤ 1,09
E
0,65 ≤ G ≤ 0,79
E
G ≤ 1,09
F
G ≤ 0,94
F
G ≤ 0,64
F
Empty
G
Empty
G
Empty
G’
(3)
Annex IV: Verification procedure, is replaced by the following:
‘ANNEX IV
Verification procedure
The conformity of the declared fuel efficiency and wet grip classes, as well as the declared external rolling noise class and declared value, must be assessed for each tyre type or each grouping of tyres as determined by the supplier, according to one of the following procedures:
(a)
(i)
a single tyre or tyre set is tested first. If the measured values meet the declared classes or external rolling noise declared value to within the tolerance defined in Table 1, the test is successfully passed; and
(ii)
if the measured values do not meet the declared classes or external rolling noise declared value within the range defined in Table 1, three more tyres or tyre sets are tested. The average measurement value stemming from the three tyres or tyre sets tested is used to assess conformity with the declared information within the range defined in Table 1; or
(b)
where the labelled classes or values are derived from type approval test results obtained in accordance with Directive 2001/43/EC, Regulation (EC) No 661/2009, or UNECE Regulation No 117 and its subsequent amendments, Member States may make use of measurement data obtained from conformity of production tests on tyres.
Assessment of the measurement data obtained from the conformity of production tests must take into account the allowances defined in Table 1.
Table 1
Measured parameter
Verification tolerances
Rolling resistance coefficient (fuel efficiency)
The aligned measured value shall not be greater than the upper limit (the highest RRC) of the declared class by more than 0,3 kg/1 000kg.
External rolling noise
The measured value shall not be greater than the declared value of N by more than 1 dB(A).
Wet grip
The measured value shall not be lower than the lower limit (the lowest value of G) of the declared class.’
(4)
the text set out in the Annex to this Regulation is added as Annex IVa.
Article 2
Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall apply from 30 May 2012.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 29 November 2011.