The Commission is of the opinion that the two amendments proposed by the European Parliament at second reading cannot be accepted. These amendments relate in particular to:
- the subsequent introduction of requirements regarding grip and rolling resistance and new, more severe requirements regarding rolling noise. This amendment currently sets an application date of 1 October 2003 for requirements regarding grip and rolling resistance. In addition, this amendment asks the Commission to propose to Parliament and the Council within a very short period (12 and 30 months after coming into force) the inclusion of these requirements on grip and rolling resistance and new requirements regarding rolling noise. The Commission considers that these deadlines are too short to allow threshold values to be set in these areas and that this subject of road safety is so important that reliable verification is necessary;
- the aim to reduce the admissible thresholds by 2 decibels for all tyre classes intended for private cars. It should be noted that the quality of the road surfacing is very largely responsible (for up to 6 decibels) for the noise generated when the tyre is in contact with it. The Commission is in the middle of a programme which was launched two years ago and will be the subject of a communication on the combating of different noise sources, covering all the EU's sectors of activities and especially that of transport. The Commission considers that whilst requirements regarding tyre grip on dry and wet surfaces are not included in the current directive together with thresholds for rolling noise, there would be risks in reducing the latter.
Therefore, the Commission has decided that these amendments cannot be accepted and therefore it is not amending its proposal.�