With these new rules the EU is hoping to make fuel efficiency of tyres more transparent, helping consumers make more informed choices about the tyres they buy. Those tyres which have the highest fuel efficiency will be awarded an ‘A’, whilst the worst-performing will be put in the ‘G’ class. The label will also include information about the product’s performance in wet conditions and the noise decibels associated with the tyres.

Furthermore as a result of the decision, all suppliers of tyres for passenger cars, light and heavy duty vehicles (C1, C2, C3), will then be required by law to provide this information regarding the tyre’s performance in any technical promotional material they use. Any C1 or C2 tyres will have to have a sticker or be accompanied by a label from beginning July 2012. Only racing tyres and off-road professional tyres will be exempted from these requirements.

In terms of ensuring consumers are interested in using better-performing tyres , the EU is leaving it to the national level to decide on potential incentives. However, in theory Member States will only be allowed to provide incentives for tyres that achieve at least a C class.

Andris Piebalgs, the outgoing energy Commissioner, noted that ‘This is a typical win-win situation where consumers and fleet managers will be able to choose safer and low-noise tyres and save on their fuel bills, while the European Union as a whole will benefit from reduced road transport emissions’.

However Nina Renshaw of Transport and Environment (T&E) urged caution, saying ‘A labelling scheme only works when the worst as well as the best products can be compared. Much will now depend on how member states implement the legislation and how wholesalers and retailers respond to it’.