Council Directive 92/23/EEC of 31 March 1992 relating to tyres for motor vehicles and their trailers and to their fitting

Council directive 92/23/EECof 31 March 1992relating to tyres for motor vehicles and their trailers and to their fitting THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 100a thereof,Having regard to the proposal from the CommissionOJ No C 95, 12. 4. 1990, p. 101.,In cooperation with the European ParliamentOJ No C 284, 12. 11. 1990, p. 81 and Decision of 12. 2. 1992 (not yet published in the Official Journal).,Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social CommitteeOJ No C 225, 10. 9. 1990, p. 9.,Whereas measures should be adopted in order gradually to establish the internal market during a period expiring on 31 December 1992; whereas the internal market comprises an entity without internal frontiers within which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital shall be guaranteed;Whereas the total harmonization method will be essential in order fully to achieve the single market;Whereas this method will have to be used at the time of the revision of the entire EC type-approval procedure, taking account of the spirit of the Council resolution of 7 May 1985 concerning a new approach to the question of technical harmonization and standardization;Whereas the technical requirements which motor vehicles and their trailers must satisfy pursuant to national laws relate, inter alia, to pneumatic tyres;Whereas these requirements differ from one Member State to another; whereas it is therefore necessary that all Member States adopt the same requirements either in addition to or in place of their existing rules in order to permit, in particular, the EC type-approval procedure which was the subject of Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of motor vehicles and their trailersOJ No L 42, 23. 2. 1970, p. 1., as last amended by Directive 87/403/EECOJ No L 220, 8. 8. 1987, p. 44., to be introduced in respect of each type of vehicle;Whereas rules on tyres should lay down common requirements concerning not only their characteristics, but also the requirements for the equipment of vehicles and their trailers with regard to their tyres;Whereas, consequently, a common procedure for granting an EEC mark to any tyre type complying with the common characteristics and test requirements should be established; whereas, at the Community level, to ensure the free movement of tyres, the conformity of the tyres with the common requirements is assured by the affixing on each tyre of an EEC mark which has been granted to the manufacturer in accordance with the abovementioned procedure; whereas any Member States may, in order to check the conformity of the tyres with the common requirements, carry out controls at any moment; whereas, in the case of a statement of non-conformity, the Member States need to take the necessary steps to ensure the conformity of the tyres with the requirements; whereas these measures may result in the withdrawal of the abovementioned EEC mark;Whereas it is desirable to take into account the technical requirements adopted by the UN Economic Commission for Europe in its Regulation No 30 ("Uniform provisions concerning the approval of pneumatic tyres for motor vehicles and their trailers"), as amendedEconomic Commission for Europe document E/ECE/324(E3/ECE/TRANS/505) REV 1 — ADD 29, 1. 4. 1975 and its amendments 01, 02 and supplements., and in its Regulation No 54 ("Uniform provisions concerning the approval of pneumatic tyres for commercial vehicles and their trailers")Economic Commission for Europe document E/ECE/324(E/ECE/TRANS/505) REV 1 — ADD 53 and supplements. and in its Regulation No 64 ("Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles equipped with temporary-use spare wheels/tyres")Economic Commission for Europe document E/ECE/324(E/ECE/TRANS/505) REV 1 — ADD 63 and supplements., which are annexed to the Agreement of 20 March 1958 concerning the adoption of uniform conditions for approval and reciprocal recognition of approval for motor vehicle equipment and parts;Whereas the approximation of national laws relating to motor vehicles entails reciprocal recognition by Member States of the checks carried out by each of them on the basis of the common requirements,HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1For the purposes of this Directive:"tyre" means any new pneumatic tyre including a winter tyre with holes for studs, in the form of original equipment or of a replacement, intended to be fitted to vehicles to which Directive 70/156/EEC applies. This definition does not cover winter tyres with studs;"vehicle" means any vehicle to which Council Directive 70/156/EEC applies;"manufacturer" means the holder of the trade name or mark of vehicles or tyres.

Article 1a1.The requirements set out in Annex V shall apply to tyres intended to be fitted to vehicles first used on or after 1 October 1980.2.The requirements set out in Annex V shall not apply to:(a)tyres whose speed rating is less than 80 km/h;(b)tyres whose nominal rim diameter does not exceed 254 mm (or code 10) or is 635 mm or more (code 25);(c)T type temporary use spare tyres as defined in 2.3.6 of Annex II;(d)tyres designed only to be fitted to vehicles registered for the first time before 1 October 1980.

Article 21.Member States shall grant EC type-approval, under the conditions laid down in Annex I, to all types of tyres meeting the requirements of Annex II, and shall allocate to these an approval number as specified in Annex I.2.Member States shall grant EC type-approval, under the conditions laid down in Annex I, to all types of tyres meeting the requirements of Annex V and shall allocate to these an approval number as specified in Annex I.3.Member States shall grant EC type-approval to all vehicles in respect of their tyres under the conditions laid down in Annex III, where those tyres (including spare tyres, where appropriate) meet the requirements of Annex II and the requirements concerning vehicles laid down in Annex IV, and shall allocate to any such vehicle an approval number as specified in Annex III

Article 3The approval authority of a Member State shall, within one month of issuing or refusing an EC type-approval (tyre) or vehicle EC type-approval, send a copy of the relevant certificate, models of which are given in the Appendices to Annex I and Annex III, to the other Member States and, if requested, send the test report on any type of tyre approved.

Article 4No Member State may prohibit or restrict the placing on the market of tyres bearing the EC type-approval mark.

Article 5No Member State may refuse to grant EC type-approval or national type-approval to a vehicle on grounds relating to its tyres if these bear the EC type-approval mark and are fitted in accordance with the requirements laid down in Annex IV.

Article 6No Member State may refuse or prohibit the sale, registration, entry into service or use of a vehicle on grounds relating to its tyres if these bear the EC type-approval mark and are fitted in accordance with the requirements laid down in Annex IV.

Article 71.If, on the basis of a substantiated justification, a Member State considers that a tyre type or a vehicle type is dangerous although complying with the requirements of this Directive, it may, within its territory, provisionally prohibit the marketing of that product or subject it to special conditions. It shall immediately inform the other Member States and the Commission thereof, stating the grounds for its decision.2.The Commission shall, within six weeks, consult the Member States concerned, following which it shall deliver its opinion without delay and take the appropriate steps.3.If the Commission is of the opinion that technical adaptations to the Directives are necessary, such adaptations shall be adopted by either the Commission or the Council in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 10. In this event, the Member State which has adopted safeguard measures may maintain them until the entry into force of the adaptations.

Article 81.The Member State which has granted the EC type-approval (tyre) or vehicle type-approval shall take the measures required in order to verify that production models conform to the approved type in so far as this is necessary and if need be in cooperation with the approval authorities in the other Member States. For this purpose, this Member State may at any time check the conformity of the tyres or vehicles to the requirements of this Directive. Such verification shall be limited to spot checks.2.If this Member State finds that a number of tyres or vehicles with the same approval marking do not conform to the approved type, it shall take the necessary measures to ensure that production models so conform. Where there is a consistent failure to conform, these measures may extend to a withdrawal of EC type-approval. The said authorities shall take the same measure if they are informed by the approval authorities of another Member State of such failure to conform.3.The approval authorities of the Member States shall within one month notify each other using the relevant form shown in the Appendices to Annex I and Annex III of any withdrawal of EC type-approval and of the reasons for such a measure.

Article 9Any decision taken pursuant to the provisions adopted in implementation of this Directive to refuse or withdraw EC type-approval for a tyre or EC type-approval of a vehicle with regard to the fitting of its tyres implying a prohibition of marketing or of use shall set out in detail the reasons on which it is based. Every such decision shall be notified to the party concerned, who shall at the same time be informed of the remedies available to him under the laws in force in the Member States and of the time limits allowed for the exercise of such remedies.

Article 10Any amendments necessary to adapt the requirements of the Annexes to technical progress shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 13 of Directive 70/156/EEC.

Article 10a1.As from 4 February 2003, Member States may not:(a)refuse to grant EC type-approval or national approval for a type of vehicle or type of tyre, or(b)prohibit the registration, sale or entry into service of vehicles, and the sale or entry into service or use of tyres,for reasons relating to the tyres and their fitting to new vehicles, if the vehicles or tyres comply with the requirements laid down in this Directive, as amended by Directive 2001/43/ECDirective 2001/43/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2001 amending Council Directive 92/23/EEC relating to tyres for motor vehicles and their trailers and to their fitting (OJ L 211, 4.8.2001, p. 25)..2.As from 4 August 2003, Member States may no longer grant EC type-approval, and shall refuse to grant national type-approval for those types of tyre which fall within the scope of this Directive and which do not meet the requirements of this Directive, as amended by Directive 2001/43/EC.3.As from 4 February 2004, Member States may no longer grant EC type-approval or national approval for a type of vehicle, for reasons relating to its tyres or their fitting, if the requirements of this Directive, as amended by Directive 2001/43/EC, are not met.4.As from 4 February 2005, Member States shall:(a)consider certificates of conformity accompanying new vehicles in accordance with the provisions of Directive 70/156/EEC as being no longer valid for the purposes of Article 7(1) of the said Directive, if the requirements of this Directive, as amended by Directive 2001/43/EC, are not met, and(b)refuse the registration or prohibit the sale or entry into service of new vehicles which do not meet the requirements of this Directive, as amended by Directive 2001/43/EC.5.As from 1 October 2009, the provisions of this Directive, as amended by Directive 2001/43/EC, shall apply for the purposes of Article 7(2) of Directive 70/156/EC, to all tyres which fall within the scope of this Directive, with the exception of tyres of classes C1d and C1e, to which they shall apply as from 1 October 2010 and 1 October 2011 respectively.

Article 111.Member States shall adopt and publish the provisions necessary to comply with this Directive before 1 July 1992 and shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.When the Member States adopt these measures, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. The methods of making such a reference shall be laid down by the Member States.They shall apply these measures from 1 January 1993.2.Member States shall communicate to the Commission the texts of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.

Article 12This Directive is addressed to the Member States.

nullLIST OF ANNEXES

The technical requirements for tyres are similar to those of Regulations Nos 30 and 54 of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE).

ANNEX I	Administrative provisions for the EC type-approval of tyres
Appendix 1	Information document relating to EC type-approval for a type of tyre
Appendix 2	EC type-approval certificate (tyres)
Appendix 3	Information document relating to EC type-approval for a type of tyre relating to tyre/road noise emission
Appendix 4	EC type-approval certificate (tyre/road noise emission)
ANNEX II	Requirements for tyres
Appendix 1	Explanatory figure
Appendix 2	List of symbols of load-capacity indices and corresponding maximum mass to be carried
Appendix 3	Arrangement of tyre markings
Appendix 4	Relationship between the pressure index and the units of pressure
Appendix 5	Measuring rim, outer diameter and section width of tyres of certain size designations
Appendix 6	Method of measuring tyre dimensions
Appendix 7	Load/speed test procedure
Appendix 8	Variation of load capacity index with speed; commercial-vehicle tyres radial and diagonal
ANNEX III	Administrative provisions for type-approval of vehicles with regard to the fitting of their tyres
Appendix 1	Information document for a vehicle
Appendix 2	EC type-approval certificate for a vehicle
ANNEX IV	Requirements for vehicles with regard to the fitting of their tyres
ANNEX V	Tyre/road noise emission
Appendix 1	Test method for tyre-road sound levels, coast-by method
Appendix 2	Test report
ANNEXE VI	Specifications for the test site

ANNEX IADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS FOR THE EC TYPE-APPROVAL OF TYRES1.APPLICATION FOR THE EC TYPE-APPROVAL OF A TYPE OF TYRE1.1.The application for EC type-approval for a type of tyre pursuant to Article 3(4) of Directive 70/156/EEC is to be submitted by the tyre manufacturer.1.1.1.The application for EC type-approval pursuant to Annex II is to be accompanied, in triplicate, by a description of the tyre type as described in the information document in Appendix 1.1.1.1.1.The application must be accompanied (all in triplicate) by a sketch, or a representative photograph, which identifies the tyre tread pattern and a sketch of the envelope of the inflated tyre mounted on the measuring rim showing the relevant dimensions (see sections 6.1.1. and 6.1.2. of Annex II) of the type submitted for approval.1.1.1.2.It must be accompanied either by the test report issued by the appointed technical service or by a number of samples to be determined by the approval authority.1.1.2.The application for EC type-approval pursuant to Annex V is to be accompanied, in triplicate, by a description of the tyre type as described in the information document in Appendix 3.1.1.2.1.The application must be accompanied (all in triplicate) by sketches, drawings or photographs of the tread pattern(s) that is/are representative of the type of tyres.1.1.2.2.It must also be accompanied either by the test report issued by the appointed technical service or by a number of samples to be determined by the approval authority.1.2.The manufacturer may apply for EC type-approval to be extended1.2.1.to include modified tyre types for EC type-approvals pursuant to Annex II and/or1.2.2.to include additional tyre size designations and/or amended brand names or manufacturer's trade descriptions and/or tread patterns for EC type-approvals pursuant to Annex V.1.3.The approval authority may accept the laboratories of the tyre manufacturers as approved test laboratories pursuant to Article 14(1) of Directive 70/156/EEC.2.INSCRIPTIONS2.1.Samples of a type of tyre submitted for EC type-approval must bear the applicant's clearly visible and indelible trade mark or name and must allow sufficient space for the inscription of the EC type-approval mark as required in section 4 of this Annex.3.EC TYPE-APPROVAL3.1.EC type-approval pursuant to Article 4 of Directive 70/156/EEC is to be granted and an EC type-approval number is to be issued in respect of any tyre type, submitted in accordance with 1.1.1. above, which satisfies the requirements of Annex II.3.1.1.Notice of approval or extension or refusal or withdrawal of approval or of production definitively discontinued in relation to a tyre type pursuant to Annex II must be communicated to the Member States in accordance with Article 4(6) of Directive 70/156/EEC.3.1.2.EC type-approval pursuant to Article 4 of Directive 70/156/EEC is to be granted and an EC type-approval number is to be issued in respect of any tyre type, submitted in accordance with 1.1.2. above, which satisfies the requirements of Annex V.3.2.1.Notice of approval or extension or refusal or withdrawal of approval or of production definitely discontinued in relation to a tyre type pursuant to Annex V must be communicated to the Member States in accordance with Article 4(6) of Directive 70/156/EEC.3.3.An EC type-approval number is to be assigned to each tyre type-approved. The same Member State must not assign the same number to another tyre type. In particular, approval numbers assigned pursuant to Annex II and EC type-approval numbers assigned pursuant to Annex V must be different.4.EC TYPE-APPROVAL MARKING4.1.Any tyre conforming to a type in respect of which EC type-approval has been granted pursuant to this Directive must bear the relevant EC type-approval mark.4.2.The EC type-approval mark will consist of a rectangle surrounding the lower case letter "e" followed by the distinguishing number of the Member State which has granted the type-approval as per Annex VII to Directive 70/156/EEC. The EC type-approval number will consist of the EC type-approval number shown on the certificate completed for the type, preceded by two figures: "00" for commercial vehicle tyres, "02" for passenger car tyres.4.2.1.The rectangle forming the EC type-approval mark must have a minimum length of 12 mm and a minimum height of 8 mm. Letter(s) and number(s) must be at least 4 mm in height.4.3.The EC type-approval marks and numbers, and any additional marks required in Annex II, section 3., the latter for the type-approval pursuant to the requirements of Annex II, must be affixed as prescribed in that section.4.4.Approval numbers assigned pursuant to Annex V must be followed by the suffix "s" where "s" is an abbreviation for sound.4.5.An example of the EC type-approval mark is given below:The tyre bearing the EC type-approval mark shown above is a commercial vehicle tyre (00) satisfying the EC requirements (e), for which the EC type-approval mark has been granted in Ireland (24) under the number 479 pursuant to Annex II and in Italy (3) under the number 687-s pursuant to Annex V.Note:The numbers "479" and "687" (EC-mark type-approval numbers) and the number "24" and the digit "3" (letters and number of the Member States which granted the EC approval) are for guidance only.The approval numbers must be placed close to the rectangle and may be above, below, to the left or to the right. The characters of the approval number must all be on the same side of the "e" and face in the same direction.5.MODIFICATION OF A TYRE TYPE5.1.If a tyre type-approved pursuant to Annex II or pursuant to Annex V has been modified, the provisions of Article 5 of Directive 70/156/EEC shall apply.5.2.If the tread pattern of a tyre has been modified in the case of type-approvals pursuant to Annex II, no repetition of the tests prescribed in Annex II is considered necessary.5.3.In the case where tyre-size designations or trade marks are added to a range of tyres type-approved pursuant to Annex V, any requirement for retesting shall be determined by the type approval authority.5.4.In the case of modification of the tyre tread pattern of a range of tyres approved pursuant to Annex V, a representative set of samples shall be retested unless the type approval authority is satisfied that the modification does not affect the tyre/road noise emissions.6.CONFORMITY OF PRODUCTION6.1.The general rules to ensure the conformity of production shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions laid down in Article 10 of Directive 70/156/EEC.6.2.In particular, when checks are carried out in accordance with Appendix 1 to Annex V in order to check the conformity of production, if the noise level of the tyre tested does not exceed the limit values set out in section 4.2. of Annex V by more than 1 dB(A), the production shall be deemed to conform to the requirements of section 4 of the abovementioned Annex V.ANNEX IIREQUIREMENTS FOR TYRES1.DEFINITIONS2.For the purposes of this Directive:2.1."type of tyre" means a category of tyres which do not differ in such essential respects as:2.1.1.manufacturer's name or trade mark;2.1.2.tyre-size designation;2.1.3.category of use:—normalnormal road-use tyre,—specialspecial-use tyre, e.g. tyre for mixed use (both on and off the road) and at restricted speed,snow tyre,temporary-use spare tyre;2.1.4.structure (diagonal (bias-ply), bias-belted, radial-ply);2.1.5.speed category;2.1.6.load capacity index;2.1.7.tyre cross-section;2.2."snow tyre" means a tyre the tread pattern and structure of which are primarily designed to ensure in mud and fresh or melting snow a performance better than that of a normal tyre. The tread pattern of a snow tyre generally consists of groove (rib) and/or solid-block elements more widely spaced than on a normal tyre;2.3."structure" of a tyre means the technical characteristics of the tyre's carcass. The following structures are distinguished in particular:2.3.1."diagonal" or "bias-ply" describes a tyre structure in which the ply cords extend to the bead and are laid at alternate angles of substantially less than 90o to the centreline of the tread;2.3.2."bias-belted" describes a tyre structure of diagonal (bias-ply) type in which the carcass is restricted by a belt comprising two or more layers of substantially inextensible cord material laid at alternate angles close to those of the carcass;2.3.3."radial" describes a tyre structure in which the ply cords extend to the beads and are laid substantially at 90o to the centreline of the tread, the carcass being stabilized by an essentially inextensible circumferential belt;2.3.4."reinforce" describes a tyre structure in which the carcass is more resistant than that of the corresponding standard tyre;2.3.5."temporary-use spare tyre" means a tyre different from a tyre intended to be fitted to any vehicle for normal driving conditions; but intended only for temporary use under restricted driving conditions;2.3.6."T-type temporary-use spare tyre" means a type of temporary-use spare tyre designed for use at inflation pressure higher than those established for standard and reinforced tyres;2.4."bead" means the part of a tyre which is of such shape and structure as to fit the rim and hold the tyre on itSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.5."cord" means the strands forming the fabric of the plies in the tyreSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.6."ply" means a layer of rubber-coated parallel cordsSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.7."carcass" means that part of a tyre other than the tread and the rubber sidewalls which, when inflated, bears the loadSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.8."tread" means that part of a tyre which comes into contact with the groundSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.9."sidewall" means the part of the tyre, excluding the tread, which is visible when the tyre, fitted to a rim, is viewed from the sideSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.10."lower sidewall" means the area below the line of maximum section width of the tyre, which is visible when the tyre, fitted to a rim, is viewed from the sideSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.11."tread groove" means the space between the adjacent ribs or blocks in the tread patternSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.12."section width" means the linear distance between the outsides of the sidewalls of an inflated tyre, excluding elevations due to labelling (marking), decoration or protective bands or ribsSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.13."overall width" means the linear distance between the outsides of the sidewalls of an inflated tyre, including labelling (marking), decoration and protective bands or ribsSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.14."section height" means a distance equal to half the difference between the outer diameter of the tyre and the nominal rim diameterSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.15."nominal aspect ratio Ra" means one hundred times the number obtained by dividing the number expressing the nominal section height in millimetres by the number expressing the nominal section width in millimeters;2.16."outer diameter" means the overall diameter of an inflated new tyreSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.17."tyre-size designation":2.17.1.means a designation showing:2.17.1.1.the nominal secton width. This width must be expressed in mm, except in the case of tyres for which the size designation is shown in the first column of the tables in Appendix 5;2.17.1.2.the nominal aspect ratio, except in the case of tyres for which the size designation is shown in the first column of the tables in Appendix 5;2.17.1.3.a conventional number "d" (the "d" symbol) denoting the nominal rim diameter and corresponding to the diameter of the rim expressed either in inches (number below 100 — see table) or in mm (numbers above 100) but not both.

The exhaustive range of values is shown in the table below:

"d"Nominal rim diameter (the symbol)
Expressed in inches(code)	Equivalence in mm(reference section 6.1.2.1)
10	254
11	279
12	305
13	330
14	356
15	381
16	406
17	432
18	457
19	483
20	508
21	533
22	559
24	610
25	635
14,5	368
16,5	419
17,5	445
19,5	495
20,5	521
22,5	572
24,5	622

2.17.1.4.the letter "T" in front of the nominal section width in case of T-type temporary-use spare tyres;2.18."nominal rim diameter (d)" means the diameter of the rim on which a tyre is designed to be mountedSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.19."rim" means the support for a tyre-and-tube assembly, or for a tubeless tyre, on which the tyre beads are seatedSee explanatory figure, Appendix 1.;2.20."theoretical rim" means the notional rim whose width would be equal to x times the nominal section width of a tyre; the value "x" must be specified by the tyre manufacturer;2.21."measuring rim" means the rim on which a tyre must be fitted for size measurements;2.22."test rim" means the rim on which a tyre must be fitted for testing;2.23."chunking" means the breaking away of pieces of rubber from the tread;2.24."cord separation" means the parting of the cords from their rubber coating;2.25."ply separation" means the parting of adjacent plies;2.26."tread separation" means the pulling away of the tread from the carcass;2.27."tread-wear indicators" mean projections within the tread-grooves designed to give a visual indication of the degree of wear of the tread;2.28."load-capacity index" means one or two numbers which indicate the load the tyre can carry in single or in single and dual formation at the speed corresponding to the associated speed category and when operated in conformity with the requirements governing utilization specified by the manufacturer. The list of these indices and their corresponding masses is given in Annex II, Appendix 2;2.28.1.on passenger car tyres there must be one load index only;2.28.2.on commercial vehicle tyres there may be one or two load indices, the first one for single formation and the second one, when present, for dual (twin) formation in which case the two indices are divided by a slash (/);2.28.3.a type of tyre may have either one or two sets of load capacity indices depending on whether or not the provisions of section 6.2.5 are applied;2.29."speed category", expressed by the speed category symbol as shown in the table in 2.29.3;2.29.1.in the case of a passenger car tyre, the maximum speed which the tyre can sustain;2.29.2.in the case of a commercial vehicle tyre, the speed at which the tyre can carry the mass corresponding to the load capacity index;2.29.3.The speed categories are as shown in the table below:

Speed category symbol	Corresponding speed(km/h)
F	80
G	90
J	100
K	110
L	120
M	130
N	140
P	150
Q	160
R	170
S	180
T	190
U	200
H	210
V	240

2.29.4.tyres suitable for maximum speeds higher than 240 km/h are identified by means of the letter code "Z" placed within the tyre size designation;2.29.5.a type of tyre may have either one or two sets of speed category symbols depending on whether or not the provisions of section 6.2.5 are applied;2.30."table: Variation of load capacity with speed" means: the table, in Annex II Appendix 8, showing as a function of the load capacity indices and nominal speed category symbols the load variations which a tyre can withstand when used at speeds different from that corresponding to its speed category symbol;2.30.1.the load variations do not apply in the case of passenger car tyres nor, in the case of commercial vehicle tyres, to the additional load capacity indices and speed category symbol when the provisions of section 6.2.5 are applied;2.31."maximum load rating" means the maximum mass the tyre is rated to carry:2.31.1.in the case of passenger car tyres suitable for speeds not exceeding 210 km/h, the maximum load rating must not exceed the value associated with the load capacity index of the tyre;2.31.2.in the case of passenger car tyres suitable for speeds exceeding 210 km/h, but not exceeding 240 km/h (tyres classified with speed category symbol "V"), the maximum load rating must not exceed the percentage of the value associated with the load capacity index of the tyre, indicated in the table below, with reference to the speed capability of the vehicle to which the tyre is fitted;

Maximum speed(km/h)	Load(%)
215	98,5
220	97
225	95,5
230	94
235	92,5
240	91

for intermediate maximum speeds linear interpolations of the maximum load rating are allowed;2.31.3.for speeds exceeding 240 km/h ("Z tyres") the maximum load rating must not exceed the value specified by the tyre manufacturer with reference to the maximum speed capability of the vehicle to which it is fitted;2.31.4.in the case of commercial vehicle tyres, the maximum load rating, both for single and for dual formation, must not exceed the percentage of the value associated with the relevant load capacity index of the tyre as indicated in the table "Load-capacity variation with speed" (see 2.30), with reference to the speed category symbol of the tyre and the speed capability of the vehicle to which the tyre is fitted. When additional load capacity indices and speed category symbols apply, those too are considered to determine the maximum load rating of the tyre;2.32."passenger car tyre" means a tyre designed primarily, but not only, for passenger cars (motor vehicles in category M1) and their trailers (01 and 02);2.33."commercial vehicle tyre" means a tyre designed primarily, but not only, for vehicles other than passenger cars (motor vehicles in categories M2, M3, N) and their trailers (03, 04);2.34."tyre ground pressure (F/Ac)" means the average until load transmitted by the tyre, through its contact area, to the road surface expressed as the ratio between the vertical force (F), in static conditions on the axis of the wheel and the tyre contact area (Ac) measured with the tyre inflated at the cold inflation pressure recommended for the intended type of service. It is expressed in kN/m2;2.35."tyre contact area (Ac)" means the area of the flat surface contained within the virtual perimeter of the tyre footprint. It is expressed in m2;2.36."virtual perimeter of the tyre footprint" means the convex polygonal curve circumscribing the smallest area containing all points of contact between the tyre and the ground;2.37."cold inflation pressure" means the internal pressure of the tyre with the tyre at ambient temperature and does not include any pressure build up due to tyre usage. It is expressed in bar kPa.3.MARKING REQUIREMENTS3.1.Tyres must bear:3.1.1.the manufacturer's name or trade mark;3.1.2.the tyre-size designation as defined in section 2.17;3.1.3.an indication of the structure as follows:3.1.3.1.on diagonal (bias-ply) tyres, no making or the letter "D";3.1.3.2.on radial-ply tyres, the letter "R" placed in front of the nominal in diameter marking and, optionally, the word "RADIAL";3.1.3.3.on bias-belted tyres, the letter "B" placed in front of the nominal rim diameter marking and, in addition, the words "BIAS-BELTED";3.1.4.an indication of the tyre's speed category by means of the symbol shown in section 2.29; in the case of tyres suitable for speeds higher than 240 km/h the speed category of the tyre must be indicated by the letter code "Z" placed in front of the indication of the structure (see section 3.1.3);3.1.5.the inscription "M + S" (for alternatively "M.S." or "M & S") in the case of a snow tyre;3.1.6.the load-capacity index as defined in section 2.28;3.1.6.1.however, in the case of tyres suitable for speeds higher than 240 km/h the indication of the load capacity index may be omitted;3.1.7.the word "TUBELESS" if the tyre is designed for use without an inner tube;3.1.8.the word "REINFORCED" if the tyre is a reinforced tyre;3.1.9.the date of manufacture in the form of a group of three digits, the first two showing the week and the last one the year of manufacture;3.1.10.in the case of commercial vehicle tyres which can be regrooved, the symbol "" at last 20 mm in diameter, or the word "REGROOVABLE", moulded into or on to each sidewall;3.1.11.in the case of commercial vehicles tyres, an indication, by the "PSI" index (see Appendix 4), of the inflation pressure to be adopted for the load/speed tests, as explained in Appendic 7 Part B;3.1.12.the additional load capacity index/indices and the speed category symbol in the case where the provisions of section 6.2.5 are applied.3.2.Appendix 3 gives examples of the arrangement of tyre markings.3.3.The tyre must also bear the EC type-approval mark, the model of which is given in Annex I, section 4.5.POSITION OF MARKINGS3.4.The markings referred to in section 3.1 and 3.3 must be clearly and legibly moulded into or on to both sidewalls, and at least on one side on the lower sidewall, as follows:3.4.1.in the case of symmetrical tyres, all the markings referred to above must be located on both ridewalls except the markings referred to in sections 3.1.9, 3.1.11 and 3.3 which may be on one sidewall only;3.4.2.in the case of asymmetrical tyres all the markings must be located on at least the outer sidewall.(4.)(5.)(6.)6.1.Dimensional requirements6.1.1.Section width of a tyre6.1.1.1.Except as provided by section 6.1.1.2, the section width is calculated by the following formula:S = S1 + K (A−A1),where:Sthe "section width" expressed in mmEquivalence factor from inches to mm is 25,4. and measured on the measuring rim;S1the "nominal section width" in mm as shown on the sidewall of the tyre in the tyre-size designation as prescribed;Athe width (expressed in mm) of the measuring rim, as shown by the manufacturer in the descriptive note, (see section 6.11 of Annex I, Appendix 1);A1the width (expressed in mm) of the theoretical rim; it is taken to equal S1 multiplied by the factor x as specified by the tyre manufacturer (see section 6.15 of Annex I, Appendix 1); and K is taken to equal 0.4.6.1.1.2.However, for the types of tyre for which the size designation is given in the first column of the tables in Appendix 5 A or 5 B, the measuring rim width (A) and the section width (S) are those given opposite the tyre size designation in those tables.6.1.2.Outer diameter of a tyre6.1.2.1.Except as provided by secton 6.1.2.2, the outer diameter of a tyre is calculated by the following formula:D = d + 0,02Hwhere:D is the outer diameter expressed in mm,d is the conventional number defined in section 2.17.1.3, expressed in mm,H is the nominal section heigth in mm and is equal to S1 × 0,01 Ra;where:Ra is the nominal aspect ratio,all as shown on the sidewall of the tyre in the tyre-size designation in conformity with the requirements of section 3.6.1.2.2.However, for the types of tyres for which the size designation is given in the first column of the tables of Appendix 5 the outer diameter is that given opposite the tyre size designation in those tables.6.1.3.Method of measuring tyre dimensionsThe actual dimensions of tyres are measured as prescribed in Appendix 6.6.1.4.Tyre section width: specification of tolerance6.1.4.1.The overall width of a tyre may be less than the section width determined pursuant to section 6.1.1 or shown in Appendix 5;6.1.4.2.It may not exceed that value by more than the following:6.1.4.2.1.diagonal (bias-ply) tyres: 6 % for passenger car tyres, 8 % for commercial vehicle tyres;6.1.4.2.2.radial-ply tyres: 4 %; and6.1.4.2.3.in addition, if the tyre has a special protective band, the figure as increased by the above tolerances may be exceeded by 8 mm.6.1.4.2.4.However, for tyres of a section width exceeding 305 mm intended for dual (twin) mounting the nominal value must not be exceeded by more than 2 % for radial-ply or 4 % for diagonal (bias-ply) tyres.6.1.5.Tyre outer diameter: specification of toleranceThe outer diameter of a tyre must not be outside the values Dmin and Dmax obtained from the following formulae:Dmind + (2H × a)Dmaxd + (2H × b)6.1.5.1.for sizes listed in Appendix 5:H = 0,5 (D — d) — (for references see section 6.1.2.2).6.1.5.2.for other sizes not listed in Appendix 5:"H" and "d" are as defined in section 6.1.2.1.6.1.5.3.coefficients "a" and "b" are respectively:6.1.5.3.1.coefficient "a" = 0,97;6.1.5.3.2.coefficient "b" for normal, special, snow or temporary-use spare tyres

Category of use	Passenger car tyres		Commercial vehicle tyres
	Radial	Bias	Radial	Bias
Normal	1,04	1,08	1,04	1,07
Special	—	—	1,06	1,09
Snow	1,04	1,08	1,04	1,07
Temporary-use	1,04	1,08	—	—

6.1.5.4.For snow tyres the outer diameter (Dmax) established in conformity with the above may be exceeded by 1 %.6.2.Load/speed test requirement6.2.1.The tyre must undergo a load/speed test carried out in accordance with the relevant procedure described in Appendix 7.6.2.2.A tyre which, after undergoing the relevant load/speed test, does not exhibit any tread separation, ply separation, cord separation, chunking or broken cords is deemed to have passed the test.6.2.3.The outer diameter of the tyre, measured six hours after the load/speed test, must not be more than 3,5 % greater than the outer diameter as measured before the test.6.2.4.Where application is made for the approval of a type of commercial vehicle tyre the load/speed combinations given in the table in Appendix 8 apply and, the load/speed test prescribed in section 6.2.1 need not be carried out for load and speed values other than the nominal values.6.2.5.Where application (see secton 6.13 of Annex 1, Appendix 1) is made for the type-approval of a type of commercial vehicle tyre which has a load/speed combination in addition to the one that is subject to the variation of load with speed given in the table in Appendix 8, the load/speed test prescribed in section 6.2.1 must also be carried out on a second tyre of the same type at the additional load/speed combination.6.2.6.Where a tyre manufacturer produces a range of tyres it is not considered necessary to carry out a load/speed test on every type of tyre in the range. Worst-case selection may be made, at the discretion of the approval authority.6.3.Tread-wear indicators6.3.1.In the case of passenger car tyres the tread of the tyre must include not less than six transverse rows of tread-wear indicators, approximately equally spaced and situated in the wide grooves in the central zone of the tread, which covers approximately three quarters of the tread width. The tread-wear indicators must be such that they cannot be confused with the rubber ridges between the ribs or blocks of the tread.6.3.2.However, in the case of tyres of dimensions appropriate for mounting on rims of a nominal diamter of 12″ or less, four rows of tread-wear indicators are acceptable.6.3.3.The tread-wear indicators must give visual warning when the depth of the corresponding tread grooves has been reduced to 1,6 mm with a tolerance of + 0,6/- 0 mm.ANNEX IIIADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS FOR THE TYPE-APPROVAL OF VEHICLES WITH REGARD TO THE FITTING OF THEIR TYRES1.APPLICATION FOR THE EC TYPE-APPROVAL OF A VEHICLE TYPE1.1.The application for EC type-approval of a vehicle type with regard to its tyres is submitted by the vehicle manufacturer or by his authorized representative.1.2.It is accompanied, in triplicate, by a description of the vehicle type and of its tyres in terms of their tyre-size designation, speed category and load-capacity index, including any temporary-use spare unit(s), with which it may be fitted as described in the information document in Appendix 1.1.3.A vehicle representative of the vehicle type to be approved must be submitted to the technical service responsible for conducting the approval tests.1.4.The vehicle manufacturer or his representative may apply for the EC type-approval to be extended to include tyres of additional tyre-size designations, speed categories or load-capacity indices or additonal temporary-use spare unit(s).2.EC TYPE-APPROVAL OF A VEHICLE2.1.EC type-approval is granted and an EC type-approval number issued in respect of any vehicle type submitted in accordance with section 1 which satisfied the requirements of this Directive.2.2.Notice of approval or of extension or of refusal of approval of a vehicle type pursuant to this Directive is communicated to the Member States by means of a form conforming to the model in Appendix 2.2.3.An approval number is assigned to each vehicle type approved. The same Member State must not assign the same number to another vehicle type.3.MODIFICATION OF VEHICLE TYPE3.1.Every modification of a vehicle type must be notified to the approval authority which approved it. That approval authority may then either:3.1.1.consider that the modifications made are unlikely to have an appreciable adverse effect and that in any case the vehicle still meets the requirements; or3.1.2.refuse to approve the modification.3.2.Confirmation or refusal of approval, specifying the alterations, is communicated to the other Member States by the procedure specified in sections 2.2.4.CONFORMITY OF PRODUCTION4.1.Every production vehicle to which this Directive applies must be so manufactured that it conforms to all of the relevant requirements of this Directive.4.2.In order to verify that the requirements of section 4.1 are met, suitable controls of the production must be carried out.4.3.The holder of the approval must in particular ensure the existence of procedures for effectively checking on compatibility between the characteristics of the vehicle and the characteristics of the tyres fitted as laid down within the framework of this Directive.4.4.The approval authority which has granted type-approval may at any time verify the conformity control methods applicable to each production unit.4.4.1.In every inspection, the test books and productions survey records must be presented to the visiting inspector.4.5.The normal frequency of inspections authorized by the approval authority in one per year. In the case where negative results are recorded during one of these visits, the approval authority must ensure that all necessary steps are taken to re-establish the conformity of production as rapidly as possible.5.PRODUCTION DEFINITIVELY DISCONTINUEDIf the holder of an approval completely ceases to manufacture a type of vehicle approved in accordance with this Directive, he must so inform the authority which granted the approval. Upon receiving the relevant communication that authority must inform thereof the other approval authorities by means of a copy of the approval form bearing at the end, in large letters, the signed and dated annotation "PRODUCTION DISCONTINUED".ANNEX IVREQUIREMENTS FOR VEHICLES WITH REGARD TO THE FITTING OF THEIR TYRES1.DEFINITIONS2.For the purpose of this Directive:2.1."approval of a vehicle" means the approval of a vehicle type with regard to its tyres, including temporary-use spare tyres;2.2."vehicle type" means a range of vehicles which do not differ significantly, at least as regards each variant of the vehicle type, in such essential aspects as would affect the tyre size designation, the speed category symbol or the load capacity index:2.3."wheel" means a complete wheel consisting of a rim and a wheel disc;2.4."temporary-use spare wheel" means a wheel different from one of the normal wheels on the vehicle type;2.5."unit" means an assembly of a wheel and tyre;2.6."normal unit" means a unit which is capable of being fitted to the vehicle for normal operation;2.7."spare unit" means a unit which is intended to be exchanged for a normal unit in case of malfunction of the latter. A "spare unit" may be either of the following:2.7.0."normal spare unit", which is a unit that conforms to the normal unit of the vehicle type;2.7.1."temporary-use spare unit", which is a unit that differs from the normal units of the vehicle type with regard to their principal characteristics (e.g. their tyre-size designation, functional dimensions, conditions of use or structure). It is intended for temporary use under restricted conditions. Temporary-use spare units may be of the following categories:2.7.1.1.category 1a unit consisting of a wheel which conforms to a wheel of a normal unit and a tyre which has principal characteristics (e.g. dimensions, structure) different to the normal tyre;2.7.1.2.category 2a unit consisting of a wheel and a tyre both having principal characteristics different to the normal unit and intended to be carried on the vehicle with the tyre inflated to the pressure specified for temporary use;2.7.1.3.category 3a unit consisting of a normal wheel and a tyre having principal characteristics different to a normal tyre and intended to be carried on the vehicle with the tyre folded and not inflated;2.7.1.4.category 4a unit consisting of a wheel and tyre both having principal characteristics different to a normal unit and intended to be carried on the vehicle with the tyre folded and not inflated;2.8."maximum mass" means the maximum value stated by the vehicle manufacturer to be technically permissible for the vehicle;2.9."maximum axle load" means the maximum value stated by the vehicle manufacturer to be technically permissible for the total vertical force between the contact surfaces of the tyres of the axle in question and the ground and resulting from the part of the vehicle mass supported by that axle. The sum of the axle loads may be greater than the value corresponding to the maximum mass of the vehicle;2.10."functional dimensions" means dimensions derived from the size designation of the wheels and/or tyres (e.g. diameter, width, aspect ratio) and from the mounting of the unit to the vehicle (e.g. wheel offset);2.11."maximum design speed" means the maximum speed approved for the vehicle type inclusive of the tolerance allowed for the conformity checks of the series production.3.REQUIREMENTS FOR VEHICLES WITH REGARD TO THE FITTING OF THEIR TYRES3.1.General3.1.1.Subject to the provisions of section 3.7.4., every tyre fitted to a vehicle, including where applicable any spare, must bear the EC type-approval mark(s) as specified in section 4 of Annex I or the type-approval mark indicating compliance with UN/ECE Regulations Nos 30 or 54. UN/ECE type-approval marks are considered to be equivalent only to the EC type-approval marks granted pursuant to Annex II.3.2.Tyre fitment3.2.1.All of the tyres fitted to a vehicle, excluding any temporary use spare, must have the same structure (see Annex II section 2.3).3.2.2.All of the tyres fitted to one axle must be of the same type (see Annex II section 2.1).3.2.3.The space in which the wheel revolves must be such as to allow unrestricted movement when using the maximum permissible size of tyres within the suspension and steering constraints provided by the vehicle manufacturer.3.3.Load capacity3.3.1.Subject to the provisions of section 3.7, the maximum load rating (see Annex II section 2.31) of every tyre, including a spare tyre (if provided) with which a vehicle is fitted is:3.3.1.1.in the case of a vehicle fitted with tyres of the same type in single formation: at least equal to half of the maximum axle load (see section 2.9) for the most heavily loaded axle, as declared by the manufacturer of the vehicle;3.3.1.2.in the case af a vehicle fitted with tyres of more than one type, in single formation: at least equal to half of the maximum axle load (see section 2.9), as declared by the manufacturer of the vehicle, in respect of the relevant axle;3.3.1.3.in the case of a vehicle fitted with passenger car tyres in dual (twin) formation: at least equal to 0,27 times the maximum axle load, as declared by the manufacturer of the vehicle, in respect of the relevant axle;3.3.1.4.in the case of axles fitted with commercial vehicle tyres in dual (twin) formation: at least equal to 0,25 times, with reference to the load capacity index for dual application, the maximum axle load as declared by the manufacturer of the vehicle, in respect of the relevant axle.3.4.Speed capacity3.4.1.Every tyre with which a vehicle is normally fitted must have a speed category symbol (see Annex II section 2.29) compatible with the maximum design speed of the vehicle (as declared by the vehicle manufacturer) or the applicable load/speed combination (see Annex II section 2.30).3.4.2.The above specification does not apply:3.4.2.1.in the case of temporary use spare units for which section 3.8 applies;3.4.2.2.in the case of vehicles normally equipped with ordinary tyres and occassionally supplied with snow tyres.However, in this case the speed category symbol of the snow tyres must correspond to a speed either greater than the maximum design speed of the vehicle (as declared by the vehicle manufacturer) or not less than 160 km/h (or both).If, nevertheless, the maximum design speed of the vehicles (as declared by the vehicle manufacturer) is greater than the speed corresponding to the speed category symbol of the snow tyres a maximum speed warning label, specifying the maximum speed capability of the snow tyres, must be displayed inside the vehicle in a prominent position readily visible to the driver.3.5.Spare tyre3.5.1.In the case where a vehicle is provided with a spare wheel its tyre must be:3.5.1.1.the same type as one of the tyres fitted to or approved for the vehicle, or3.5.1.2.a temporary-use spare tyre of a type suitable for use on the vehicle, in any position. However, no vehicle other than a vehicle of category M1 ay be fitted with a temporary-use spare tyre.3.5.2.Every vehicle provided with a temporary-use spare unit must be provided with supplementary information clearly and permanently displayed on the temporary-use spare unit or on the vehicle near the spare unit or in the driver's handbook. At least the following information must be given:3.5.2.1.an instruction to drive with caution when the temporary-use spare unit is fitted, and to install a normal unit as soon as possible;3.5.2.2.a statement that operation of the vehicle is not permitted with more than one temporary-use spare unit fitted at the same time;3.5.2.3.a clear indication of the inflation pressure specified by the vehicle manufacturer for the tyre of the temporary-use spare unit;3.5.2.4.for vehicles equipped with category 3 or category 4 temporary-use spare units, a description of the procedure for inflating the tyre to the pressure specified for temporary use by means of the device referred to in section 3.6;3.6.Inflating device of temporary-use spare unit:3.6.1.if the vehicle is equipped with a category 3 or category 4 temporary-use spare unit, a device must be provided on the vehicle which permits the tyre to be inflated to the pressure specified for temporary use within a maximum of five minutes.3.7.Special cases3.7.1.In the case of trailers of categories 01 and 02 with operating speeds restricted to 100 km/h or less fitted with passenger car tyres in single formation, the maximum load rating of every tyre must be at least equal to 0,45 times the maximum mass for the most heavily loaded axle, as declared by the manufacturer of the trailer. For tyres in dual (twin) formation this factor is 0,24.3.7.2.In the case of some special vehicles fitted with commercial vehicle tyres, the table "Variation of Load Capacity with Speed" (see section 2.30 and Appendix 8 to Annex II) is not to be applied. In those cases the tyre maximum load ratings to check against the maximum axle loads (see sections 3.3.1.2 and 3.3.1.4 of this Annex) are determined by multiplying the load corresponding to the load capacity index by an appropriate coefficient which is related to the type of vehicle and its use rather than to the maximum design speed of the vehicle. In such cases section 3.4.1 of this Annex does not apply. The appropriate cofficients are as follows:3.7.2.1.1,10 in the case of vehicles of category M3 when the vehicle is carrying standing passengers and the operating speed does not exceed 60 km/h. However, for operational reasons Member States may allow the operating speed to be increased to 80 km/h;3.7.2.2.1,15 in the case of such vehicles (M3) if they are intended for use only on urban routes with frequent stops;3.7.2.3.1,10 in the case of public utility vehicles of category N used at slow speeds over short distances in urban and suburban applications such as road sweepers or refuse collectors.3.7.3.When a motor vehicle of category M1 is towing a trailer, the additional load imposed at the trailer coupling device may cause the tyre maximum load ratings to be exceeded, but not by more than 15 %, provided that the operating speed is restricted to 100 km/h or less and the inflation pressure increased by at least 0,2 bar is applied.3.7.4.In the case of a vehicle which is fitted with tyres which are not passenger car tyres nor commercial vehicle tyres due to special conditions of use (e.g. agricultural tyres, industrial truck tyres, motor cycle tyres) the requirements of Annex II do not apply provided that the approval authority is satisfied that the tyres fitted are suitable for the operating conditions of the vehicle.3.8.Specifications for temporary-use spare units3.8.1.Every temporary-use spare tyre must have a speed category at least equal to 120 km/h (speed category symbol L).3.8.2.When fitted to the vehicle for temporary use the outward facing surface of the wheel must exhibit a distinctive colour or colour pattern which is clearly different from the colour(s) of the normal units. If it is possible to attach a wheel cover to the temporary-use spare unit the distinctive colour or colour pattern must not be obscured by this wheel cover.3.8.3.A maximum speed warning symbol must be permanently displayed on the outer face of the wheel in a prominent position and in accordance with the diagram below:ANNEX VTYRE/ROAD NOISE EMISSION1.SCOPEThis annex applies to the EC type-approval of tyres, as components, in respect of tyre/road noise emissions.2.DEFINITIONSFor the purposes of this Annex, the definitions of Annex II shall apply, except for the definition under section 2.1., which shall read as follows:2.1."Type of tyre"means, in relation to type-approval pursuant to this Annex (tyre/road noise emission), a range of tyres consisting of a list of tyre size designations (see section 2.17 in Annex II), brand names, trade marks and trade descriptions which do not differ in such essential characteristics as:the manufacturer's namethe tyre classification (see section 2.4. of this Annex)the tyre structure (see section 2.1.4. of Annex II)the category of use (see section 2.1.3. of Annex II)for class C1 tyres. Reinforced or Extra Loadthe tread pattern (see 2.3 of Information Document, Annex I, Appendix 3).Note:The effect of changes in minor details of tyre tread and construction on the tyre/road noise emission will be determined during checks on the conformity of production.In addition, the following definitions shall also apply:2.2."Brand name or trade description"means the identification for the tyre as provided by the tyre manufacturer. The brand name may be the same as the manufacturer and the trade description may coincide with the trade mark.2.3."Tyre/road noise emission"means the noise arising from the contact between tyres in motion and the road surface.2.4.For the purpose of this Annex, the following classification shall apply:

class C1 tyres	passenger car tyres (see section 2.32. of Annex II);
class C2 tyres	commercial vehicle tyres (see section 2.33. of Annex II) with load capacity index in single formation ≤ 121 and speed category symbol ≥ "N" (see section 2.29.3. of Annex II);
class C3 tyres	commercial vehicle tyres (see section 2.33. of Annex II) with load capacity index in single formation ≤ 121 and speed category symbol ≤ "M" (see section 2.29.3. of Annex II) or commercial vehicle tyres (see section 2.33. of Annex II) with load capacity index in single formation ≥ 122.

3.MARKING REQUIREMENTS3.1.In addition to other marking requirements given in section 4 of Annex I and section 3 of Annex II, the tyre must bear the following markings:3.1.1.the manufacturer's name or trade mark; the brand name, the trade description or the trade mark.4.TYRE/ROAD NOISE EMISSION REQUIREMENTS4.1.General requirementsA set of four tyres bearing the same tyre size designation and tread pattern that is representative of the range of tyres, shall be submitted to a tyre/road noise emission level test to be carried out as specified in Appendix 1.4.2.The noise levels determined in accordance with section 4.5 of Appendix 1 shall not exceed the following limits:4.2.1.Class C1 tyres, with reference to the nominal section width (see Annex II, section 2.17.1.1.) of the tyre that has been tested:

Limit values in column A shall apply until 30 June 2007;Limit values in column B shall apply as from 1 July 2007.Limit values in column A shall apply until 30 June 2008;Limit values in column B shall apply as from 1 July 2008.Limit values in column A shall apply until 30 June 2009;Limit values in column B shall apply as from 1 July 2009.Indicative figures only. Definitive figures will depend on amendment of the Directive following the report required in Article 3(2) of Directive 2001/43/EC.Limit values for column C will result from the amendment of the Directive following the report required in Article 3(2) of Directive 2001/43/EC.

		Limit values in dB(A)
Tyre Class	Nominal section width (mm)	A	B	C
C1a	≤ 145	72	71	70
C1b	> 145 ≤ 165	73	72	71
C1c	> 165 ≤ 185	74	73	72
C1d	> 185 ≤ 215	75	74	74
C1e	> 215	76	75	75

4.2.1.1.For reinforced (or Extra Load) tyres (see Annex II, section 3.1.8.), the limit values in section 4.2.1. shall be increased by 1 dB(A)4.2.1.2.For tyres classified in category of use "Special", (see Annex II, section 2.1.3.), the limit values in section 4.2.1. shall be increased by 2 dB(A).4.2.2.Class C2 tyres with reference to the category of use (see Annex II, section 2.1.3.) of the range of tyres:

Category of use	Limit value expressed in dB(A)
Normal	75
Snow	77
Special	78

4.2.3.Class C3 tyres, with reference to the category of use (see Annex II, section 2.1.3.) of the range of tyres:

Category of use	Limit value expressed in dB(A)
Normal	76
Snow	78
Special	79

ANNEX VISPECIFICATIONS FOR THE TEST SITE1.IntroductionThis annex describes the specifications relating to the physical characteristics and the laying of the test track. These specifications based on a special standardISO 10844:1994 If a different test surface is defined by ISO, in the future, the reference standard will be amended accordingly. describe the required physical characteristics as well as the test methods for these characteristics.2.Required characteristics of the surfaceA surface is considered to conform to this standard provided that the texture and voids content or sound absorption coefficient have been measured and found to fulfil all the requirements of sections 2.1. to 2.4. below and provided that the design requirements (section 3.2.) have been met.2.1.Residual voids contentThe residual voids content (VC) of the test track paving mixture shall not exceed 8 %. For the measurement procedure, see section 4.1.2.2.Sound absorption coefficientIf the surface fails to comply with the residual voids content requirement, the surface is acceptable only if its sound absorption coefficient α ≤ 0,10. For the measurement procedure, see section 4.2. The requirement of sections 2.1. and 2.2. is also met if only sound absorption has been measured and found to be α ≤ 0.10.Note:The most relevant characteristic is the sound absorption, although the residual voids content is more familiar among road constructors. However, sound absorption needs to be measured only if the surface fails to comply with the voids requirement. This is justified because the residual voids content has relatively large uncertainties in terms of both measurements and relevance and some surfaces may therefore erroneously be rejected when based only on the voids measurement.2.3.Texture depthThe texture depth (TD) measured according to the volumetric method (see section 4.3. below) shall be:TD ≥ 0,4 mm2.4.Homogeneity of the surfaceEvery practical effort shall be taken to ensure that the surface is made to be as homogeneous as possible within the test area. This includes the texture and voids content, but it should also be observed that if the rolling process results in more effective rolling at some places than others, the texture may be different and unevenness causing bumps may also occur.2.5.Period of testingIn order to check whether the surface continues to conform to the texture and voids content or sound absorption requirements stipulated in this Annex, periodic testing of the surface shall be carried out at the following intervals:(a)For residual voids content (VC) or sound absorption (α):when the surface is new;if the surface meets the requirements when new, no further periodical testing is required. If it does not meet the requirement when it is new, it may do so later because surfaces tend to become clogged and compacted with time.(b)For texture depth (TD):when the surface is new;when the noise testing starts (NB: not before four weeks after laying);then every twelve months.3.Test surface design3.1.AreaWhen designing the test track layout it is important to ensure that, as a minimum requirement, the area traversed by the vehicles running through the test strip is covered with the specified test material with suitable margins for safe and practical driving. This will require that the width of the track is at least 3 m and the length of the track extends beyond lines AA and BB by at least 10 m at either end. Figure 1 shows a plan of a suitable test site and indicates the minimum area which shall be machine laid and machine compacted with the specified test surface material. According to Annex 5, Appendix 1, section 3.2., measurements have to be made on each side of the vehicle. This can be made either by measuring with two microphone locations (one on each side of the track) and driving in one direction, or measuring with a microphone only on one side of the track but driving the vehicle in two directions. If the latter method is used, then there are no surface requirements on that side of the track where there is no microphone.3.2.Design and preparation of the surface3.2.1.Basic design requirementsThe test surface shall meet four design requirements:3.2.1.1.It shall be a dense asphaltic concrete.3.2.1.2.The maximum chipping size shall be 8 mm (tolerances allow from 6,3 mm to 10 mm).3.2.1.3.The thickness of the wearing course shall be ≥ 30 mm.3.2.1.4.The binder shall be a straight penetration grade bitumen without modification.3.2.2.Design guidelinesAs a guide to the surface constructor, an aggregate grading curve which will give desired characteristics is shown in Figure 2. In addition, Table 1 gives some guidelines in order to obtain the desired texture and durability. The grading curve fits the following formula:P (% passing) = 100.(d/dmax)1/2where:dsquare mesh sieve size, in mmdmax8 mm for the mean curve10 mm for the lower tolerance curve6,3 mm for the upper tolerance curveIn addition to the above, the following recommendations are made:(a)The sand fraction (0,063 mm < square mesh sieve size < 2 mm) shall include no more than 55 % natural sand and at least 45 % crushed sand.(b)The base and sub-base shall ensure a good stability and evenness, according to best road construction practice.(c)The chippings shall be crushed (100 % crushed faces) and of a material with a high resistance to crushing.(d)The chippings used in the mix shall be washed.(e)No extra chippings shall be added onto the surface.(f)The binder hardness expressed as PEN value shall be 40-60, 60-80 or even 80-100 depending on the climatic conditions of the country. The rule is that as hard a binder as possible shall be used, provided this is consistent with common practice.(g)The temperature of the mix before rolling shall be chosen so as to achieve by subsequent rolling the required voids content. In order to increase the probability of satisfying the specifications of sections 2.1. to 2.4. above, the compactness shall be studied not only by an appropriate choice of mixing temperature, but also by an appropriate number of passings and by the choice of compacting vehicle.

Table 1Design guidelines

	Target values		Tolerances
	By total mass of mix	By mass of the aggregate
Mass of stones, square mesh sieve (SM) > 2 mm	47,6 %	50,5 %	± 5
Mass of sand 0,063 < SM < 2 mm	38,0 %	40,2 %	± 5
Mass of filler SM <0,063 mm	8,8%	9,3%	± 2
Mass of binder (bitumen)	5,8 %	N.A.	± 0,5
Max. chipping size	8 mm		6,3 – 10
Binder hardness	(see para. 3.2.2. (f))
Polished stone value (PSV)	> 50
Compactness, relative to Marshall compactness	98 %

4.Test method4.1.Measurement of the residual voids contentFor the purpose of this measurement, cores have to be taken from the track in at least four different positions which are equally distributed in the test area between lines AA and BB (see figure 1). In order to avoid non-homogeneity and unevenness in the wheel tracks, cores should not be taken in wheel tracks themselves, but close to them. Two cores (minimum) should be taken close to the wheel tracks and one core (minimum) should be taken approximately midway between the wheel tracks and each microphone location.If there is a suspicion that the condition of homogeneity is not met (see section 2.4.), cores shall be taken from more locations within the test area.The residual voids content has to be determined for each core, then the average value from all cores shall be calculated and compared with the requirement of section 2.1. In addition, no single core shall have a voids value which is higher than 10 %.The test surface constructor is reminded of the problem which may arise when the test area is heated by pipes or electrical wires and cores must be taken from this area. Such installations must be carefully planned with respect to future core drilling locations. It is recommended to leave a few locations of size approximately 200 mm × 300 mm where there are no wires/pipes or where the latter are located deep enough in order not to be damaged by cores taken from the surface layer.4.2.Sound absorption coefficientThe sound absorption coefficient (normal incidence) shall be measured by the impedance tube method using the procedure specified in ISO 10534-1: "Acoustics — Determination of sound absorption coefficient and impedance by a tube method"To be published..Regarding test specimens, the same requirements shall be followed as regarding the residual voids content (see section 4.1). The sound absorption shall be measured in the range between 400 Hz and 800 Hz and in the range between 800 Hz and 1600 Hz (at least at the centre frequencies of third octave bands) and the maximum values shall be identified for both of these frequency ranges. Then these values, for all test cores, shall be averaged to constitute the final result.4.3.Volumetric macrotexture measurementFor the purpose of this standard, texture depth measurements shall be made on at least 10 positions evenly spaced along the wheel tracks of the test strip and the average value taken to compare with the specified minimum texture depth. See Standard ISO 10844:1994 for description of the procedure.5.Stability in time and maintenance5.1.Age influenceIn common with any other surfaces, it is expected that the tyre-road noise level measured on the test surface may increase slightly during the first 6 — 12 months after construction.The surface will achieve its required characteristics not earlier than four weeks after construction. The influence of age on the noise from trucks is generally less than that from cars.Stability over time is determined mainly by polishing and compaction by vehicles driving on the surface. It shall be periodically checked as stated in section 2.5.5.2.Maintenance of the surfaceLoose debris or dust which could significantly reduce the effective texture depth must be removed from the surface. In countries with winter climates, salt is sometimes used for de-icing. Salt may alter the surface temporarily or even permanently in such a way as to increase noise and is therefore not recommended.5.3.Repaving the test areaIf it is necessary to repave the test track, it is usually unnecessary to repave more than the test strip (of 3 m width in figure 1) where vehicles are driving, provided the test area outside the strip met the requirement of residual voids content or sound absorption when it was measured.6.Documentation of the test surface and of tests performed on it6.1.Documentation of the test surfaceThe following data shall be given in a document describing the test surface:6.1.1.The location of the test track.6.1.2.Type of binder, binder hardness, type of aggregate, maximum theoretical density of the concrete (DR), thickness of the wearing course and grading curve determined from cores from the test track.6.1.3.Method of compaction (e.g. type of roller, roller mass, number of passes).6.1.4.Temperature of the mix, temperature of the ambient air and wind speed during laying of the surface.6.1.5.Date when the surface was laid and contractor.6.1.6.All or at least the latest test result, including:6.1.6.1.the residual voids content of each core;6.1.6.2.the locations in the test area from where the cores for voids measurements have been taken;6.1.6.3.the sound absorption coefficient of each core (if measured). Specify the results both for each core and each frequency range as well as the overall average;6.1.6.4.the locations in the test area from where the cores for absorption measurement have been taken;6.1.6.5.texture depth, including the number of tests and standard deviation;6.1.6.6.the institution responsible for tests according to sections 6.1.6.1. and 6.1.6.2. and the type of equipment used;6.1.6.7.date of the test(s) and date when the cores were taken from the test track.6.2.Documentation of vehicle noise tests conducted on the surfaceIn the document describing the vehicle noise test(s) it shall be stated whether all the requirements of this standard were fulfilled or not. Reference shall be made to a document according to section 6.1. describing the results which verify this.