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Could you tell us, what kind of organisation ETRMA is and who are its members?
ETRMA, the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association, was founded in 1959 under the denomination of BLIC (Bureau de Liaison des Industries du Caoutchouc-BLIC) and it is the voice of tyre and rubber goods producers towards European and international institutions. Our members include both national associations representing the tyre and rubber industry and corporate tyre manufacturers having manufacturing facilities in Europe.
Our mission is to represent the European tyre and rubber industry, to co-ordinate its members, to communicate its work and positions and to promote the image of the industry through information to other stakeholders.
How big is the tyre market in Europe and what are the main goals and challenges in this industry?
In 2012, the European car and light truck tyre market accounted for the sale of a little more than 250 million tyres and 7 out of the top 10 tyre global companies are members of ETRMA. The tyre industry in Europe is and remains – despite the prolonged crisis – a strong manufacturing presence, producing about 21% of the world tyres.
One of the challenges that the European tyre industry is facing is the lack of a level playing field.
Tyres have become one of the most regulated product: not only are they subject to strict performance requirements with mandatory consumer information (on the same performances), but other regulations tackle their chemical composition (restriction of PAHs, for example), the production process, mandatory collection and treatment of end of life tyres.
The European tyre industry has always been fully committed to timely compliance with new and existing EU rules and makes significant investments in order to do so. However, ETRMA’s experience shows that alongside these responsible economic operators, there are others who cut corners or deliberately choose not to respect these rules in order to gain a competitive edge. These practices skew the European single market in favour of non-compliant operators, encourage illegal behaviours and could potentially put at risk the environment as well as citizens and consumers. To this end, the European tyre industry has been working to achieve a more efficient and harmonized market surveillance across Europe.
Another priority somewhat related to this last point, is to ensure that all vehicles on the European roads mount tyres that are not only compliant, but also correctly fitted and maintained. To do so, drivers need to be made aware of their role in guaranteeing the best performance of their tyres, and hence of their vehicles. This means regularly checking the pressure of the tyres, their tread depth and ensuring that the tyres are appropriate to the season.
Access to markets in the fastest growing economies of the world, such as India –remains a priority. ETRMA works intensely to remove market-access barriers and has supported the conclusion of those Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that are ambitious and comprehensive enough to achieve this objective. However, this has proven very difficult and at present, with the collapse of the FTA negotiations with India, no solution seems to be in view.
There is a EU programme - CARS 2020 Action Plan. Would you briefly describe its function and what impact - in your opinion - it will have on local activities within EU countries?
The CARS2020 Action plan was presented by the European Commission in November 2012 and it aims to help strengthening the EU’s automotive industry. It builds on the vision for industry competitiveness and sustainability in 2020 and recommendations on how to achieve this vision outlined in CARS 21 Final Report. The main areas for action are: emissions, research financing, electromobility, road safety, new skills, smart regulation, trade negotiations and international harmonisation.
It is our opinion that a lot could be achieved by making smart regulation a reality and not just a principle. Furthermore, as said above, a lot can be achieved through trade negotiations by ensuring that all future FTAs effectively remove all non-tariff barriers. For an highly regulated product like tyres, international harmonization is as important and an expansion of the UN ECE 1958 agreement to other countries would be essential to grant better market access.
What exactly is winter tyre law and what are its main differences among EU countries?
In Europe there is no such thing as an EU winter tyre law as the use of winter tyres is linked to the climatic conditions of each region. Regulation 661/2009 proposed a definition of these tyres, but it has not yet been implemented by all Member States as it is included in very different types of national legislations (eg.: highway traffic code etc.). In Europe there is therefore a patchwork of different legislations. Some countries like Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden have national winter tyre obligation for certain, well-defined periods of the year. In other countries, on the contrary, winter tyre obligation can be imposed on certain portions of the national territory according to the climatic conditions. In other countries, such as the UK, Poland, Hungary, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark as well as in Portugal, Greece and Bulgaria there is no obligation at all. Finally in countries like Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania there is no obligation of winter tyres for heavy duty vehicles.
This is a basic question - do we need winter tyres at all? Maybe all-season tyres would be enough?
Winter tyre technology is specifically developed for temperatures under 7°C, a threshold at or below which winter tyres provide better grip and handling on cold, wet and snowy roads. This translates into better adherence/grip on snow and in a reduction of fuel consumption. Finally, they significantly reduce braking distances compared to summer tyres and increase safety compared to summer tyres or tyres with chains, in winter conditions.
The following speaks for itself:
Wet braking at +6 °C: about 4m shorter braking distance with winter tyres;
Wet braking at +2 °C: about 11m shorter braking distance with winter tyres;
Snow braking at -5 °C: about 37m shorter braking distance with winter tyres;
Ice braking at -5 °C: about 13m shorter braking distance with winter tyres.
Next year new Commissioners are coming. What should they have in mind to sustain or even increase competitiveness of tyre industry in Europe?
In order to sustain competitiveness of the European Industry, the following priorities should be pursued by the upcoming European Commission:
1- Need to implement Smart Regulation principles in full! The impact and the need of any new Regulation should be carefully assessed and the industry should be fully involved in this process. This is an essential condition for the EU Industry to prosper in Europe.
2- Encourage investments in research and innovation: the European tyre industry invests up to 3.5% in research and innovation.
3- Ensure fair and non-discriminatory access to raw materials and orderly adjustment of the general pattern of supply and demand streams.
4- Access growing markets: In a highly competitive global market, sustainability of the industry requires the ability to follow economic growth around the world. Despite the crisis that since 2008 has stricken Europe, other regions still experienced two digit growth and unfortunately, it is often these regions that have and impose barriers to prevent and make very difficult the entrance of foreign products in their market. Success in removing these barriers is essential for the competitiveness of the European tyre industry.
Source: www.pzpo.org.pl