By Katherine Clarkson
European lawmakers have toughened up legislation leading to strict new labelling by tyres manufacturers.
The EU has added fuel performance to the list of information, including grip and noise level, which must be displayed on tyres from November 2012.
MEPs voted overwhelmingly in support of many of the other recommendations from the parliament’s industry committee in Strasbourg yesterday.
The new tyre label will use a fuel-efficiency classification similar to the EU Energy Label for washing machines and fridges, with rates performances from “A” to indicate the best to “G” to highlight the worst.
The draft text for the tyres still needs the approval of the Council of Ministers, which represents the 27 EU member states.
The proposals for the mandatory tyre efficiency and noise label, which will have to be adopted by manufacturers like Michelin and Continental, are expected to be adopted in the second reading “under the next legislature” which will begin in the autumn.