EU Tire Regulation

Current EU tire regulation label

REGULATION (EC) No 1222/2009 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL requires that all tires* produced after June 2012 and on sale in the EU from November 2012 will either need to bear a sticker or be accompanied by a label to be displayed at the point of sale. This is similar to labelling already in wide use for household goods such as washing machines and dishwashers. More information about the new tire labelling regulations as well as a list of FAQs is available from the European Tire & Rubber Manufacturers' Association (ETRMA).

*Scope includes tires for cars and light commercial vehicles.The standardized tire label introduced by the European Union in 2012 provides information on 3 specific tire performances: wet grip performance, fuel efficiency, and exterior rolling noise.
Tires are characterized by a number of parameters that are interrelated. Improving one parameter such as rolling resistance may have an adverse impact on other parameters such as wet grip, while improving wet grip may have an adverse impact on external rolling noise.

From 1 May 2021, Regulation (EC) 1222/2009 was replaced by Regulation (EU) 2020/740. The essence of the label is still the same, but some main changes are:

  • Change in the label design.
  • Change in the grading of Wet grip, Fuel efficiency, and Exterior noise.
  • Addition of snow and ice pictograms that represent a minimum measure of performance (described below).
  • Addition of a QR code (described below).
  • Requirement for the registration of each tire on the EPREL database.
  • Addition of label requirement for C3 tires (TRB, heavy truck).

An example of the new EU Tire Label can be seen to the left.

Fuel Efficiency

One of the forces influencing the fuel efficiency of a motorised vehicle is the rolling resistance of the tires, which accounts for up to 20% of a vehicle’s fuel consumption.
This phenomenon exists because a tire deforms when rotating, resulting in energy loss in the form of heat. The higher the deformation, the higher the tire rolling resistance, and consequently, the more fuel required to move the vehicle forward. In other words, lower rolling resistance means lower fuel consumption and therefore lower vehicle emissions, including CO2.

Actual fuel savings and road safety depend heavily on the behaviour of drivers, and in particular, the following:

  • Eco-driving can significantly reduce fuel consumption.
  • Tire pressure should be regularly checked to optimise wet grip and fuel efficiency performance.
  • Gradual braking behaviour should be practiced.

The EU regulation label displays different grades in "rolling resistance" where A is the most "fuel-efficient" and E is the worst in class.
Between classes, fuel consumption increases by approximately 0.1 litre for every 100 km driven.

The black arrow next to the grading indicates the performance level of the specific product.

Wet Grip

The most important role of a tire is to provide safety - in all conditions.

Wet adherence or grip is one of the most important performance characteristics of a tire, which pertains to its ability to brake effectively on wet roads. However, higher adherence and lower rolling resistance are often contradictory objectives that have traditionally required a performance trade-off.
Thanks to the new labelling regulation, customers will be able to see and choose for themselves their preferred performances.

The label will display a range of grades where tires with an "A" provide the highest levels of wet grip and "E" the lowest.

The black arrow next to the grading indicates the performance level of the specific product.

Exterior noise

Traffic noise is a relevant issue to the surrounding environment, determined by:

  • Traffic intensity and vehicle types.
  • Driving style.
  • Tire-Road interaction.

Exterior noise levels are split into 3 classes: A, B, and C, measured in decibels (dB). The exact number is shown in the bottom part of the specific label.

Tires with a low noise level have between 67-71 dB, whereas the highest noise levels measure between 72-77 dB.
Even a small difference in decibels represents a significant change to the noise level, as a 3 dB in
crease doubles the amount of external noise produced by the tires.

SNOW & ICE PICTOGRAM

With the new tire label, two extra icons were introduced, the first one being the snow pictogram.

The snow pictogram indicates whether a tire is suitable for severe snowy conditions, featuring a three-peak mountain snowflake symbol (3PMSF) integrated into the sidewall of such tires.
The awarding of this pictogram is determined either by measuring the braking distance of a car from 40 km/h on compacted snow or by evaluating the traction force of a tire.
In the case of trucks, the pictogram is granted based on the measurement of a tire's acceleration performance.
The overall snow grip performance is assessed in accordance with Annex 7 to UNECE Regulation No 117, which meticulously outlines factors such as the test surface, air temperature, testing vehicle, load, pressure, speed, and more.

The second icon introduced with the new label is the ice pictogram, which resembles an ice stalagmite and signifies that a tire offers reduced braking distances on winter roads covered with ice. Information regarding ice grip performance adheres to the ISO standard (ISO 19447).
C1 tires (passenger car tires) meeting the minimum ice grip index values stated in the ISO standard will bear the ice pictogram.

The pictogram is awarded based on the measurement of a car's braking distance from 32 km/h on pure ice. Standards for C2 and C3 tires are still awaiting definition.

QR code & tire type identifier

The QR code: The incorporation of a QR code facilitates convenient access to product details within the public section of the EU product database. Simply scan the code to gain entry to product information sheets and European tire labels.

Tire type identifier: Each tire product must be identified through a unique tire designation.


The regulation aims at increasing the safety and the economic and environmental efficiency of road transport by promoting safe and fuel-efficient tyres with low noise levels. It also establishes a framework for the provision of harmonised information across the industry on some tyre parameters.

Such information will, at all times, be available for customers through technical promotional material, including the websites of the manufacturers. Some tyres are excluded, such as retreaded tyres, off-road tyres and racing tyres.

The expected cumulative benefits from the increased use of fuel efficient tyres will lead to saving up to 4 million tonnes of CO2 per year (depending on the speed of market transformation towards fuel efficient tyres) , and will also drive the market towards improved wet grip performance.