UN R109 — 01 series of amendments

Paragraph 2.53. now reads: “"Tyre for use in severe snow conditions" means a snow tyre or a special use tyre whose major features including tread pattern are specifically designed to be used in severe snow conditions and that fulfils the requirements of paragraph 6.1. of UN Regulation No. [XXX]”; before, it defined a “Snow tyre for use in severe snow conditions” that fulfils paragraph 7.2. of this Regulation. The snow test of former paragraph 6.6.2., the snow classification of former paragraph 7.2. and the snow test procedures of Annex 10 are deleted. The periodic tests of snow performance in former paragraphs 9.2.2. to 9.2.4. and 9.4.2. to 9.4.4. are also deleted. The “traction tyre” classification of former paragraph 7.3. is deleted too. If a retreaded tyre is classified as “snow tyre for use in severe snow conditions” and or as “traction tyre”, new paragraph 3.4.1. requires the approval mark of Regulation No. [XXX] in addition. The “Alpine” symbol must now conform to Annex 7, Appendix 1 to UN Regulation No. 117, instead of Annex 10, Appendix 1.

New paragraph 2.58. defines “Supplier of the tread used for retreading process”, and new paragraph 2.59. defines “Tread used for retreading process”. Under paragraphs 6.4.4.1. and 6.4.4.3., the documents now include a copy of the UN Regulation No. [XXX] certificate(s) instead of a copy of test report(s). In paragraphs 6.4.4.1. to 6.4.4.3., the list(s) of tyre sizes are now those annexed to the UN Regulation No. [XXX] certificate(s). Under paragraph 6.4.4.2., item (a) is now “a copy of the Regulation No. [XXX] certificate(s), as issued by the relevant Type Approval Authority based on the UN Regulation No. 117 certificate(s)”. Under paragraphs 6.4.4.1. and 6.4.4.3., item (d) is now “A copy of the last report of the Conformity of Production as required in UN Regulation No. [XXX]”. For retreaded tyres produced by using pre-cured tread type approved pursuant to UN Regulation No. [XXX], new paragraph 6.4.4.4. says “the retreader shall ensure the packaging of the pre-cured tread bear the sticker with the approval marking till it is open and start to be used for the retreading process unless the approval marking is displayed on the tread shoulder”.

“Special use tyre” now means a tyre intended for mixed use, both on- and off-road “or for other special duty”, instead of “and/or at restricted speed”. The “Snow tyre” definition now says “major features including tread pattern” instead of “tread pattern, tread compound or structure”, and “mud and/or snow conditions” instead of “snow conditions”. Under paragraph 3.2.8., a “special use tyre” also bears an M+S inscription when the tyre manufacturer declares it at paragraph 4.1.5.3.1. as complying with paragraph 2.8.3. Paragraph 3.2.13. now adds that tyres with “MPT”, “ML”, “ET” or “POR” “may also bear the inscription M+S or M.S or M&S”. For a professional off-road tyre, paragraph 7.3. now asks for a speed category of ≤ 160 km/h for C2 tyres and ≤ 110 km/h for C3 tyres. Before, it asked for a maximum speed rating of ≤ Q for C2 tyres and ≤ K for C3 tyres.

Paragraph 2.39. now defines “Additional service description”, marked within a circle, in place of “Unique Point”. Under new paragraph 6.6.1.1., “In case of retreaded tyre following the load/speed combinations given in the table in Annex 8, the endurance test prescribed in paragraph 6.6.1. above need not be carried out for load and speed values other than the nominal values”. New paragraph 6.6.1.2. says: “In case of retreaded tyre which has an additional service description, the endurance test prescribed in paragraph 6.6.1. above shall also be carried out on a second tyre of the same size, structure and tread pattern at the additional load/speed combination and the applicable inflation pressure”. New paragraph 6.6.1.2.1. gives the conditions under which such tyres can be exempted from an additional load/speed test. The limit of 3.5 per cent on the outer diameter, measured six hours after the load/speed endurance test, now applies “Except for tyres with radial structure” (6.6.3.). In Annex 7, the test load percentage must now be increased for a test drum diameter larger than 1,700 mm ± 1 per cent.

From the official entry-into-force date of the 01 series, no Contracting Party applying this Regulation may refuse to grant or accept 01 series type approvals. Contracting Parties applying this Regulation must continue to accept and extend preceding-series approvals of retreading production units not affected by the 01 series changes. As from 1 September 2025, Contracting Parties applying this Regulation are not obliged to accept preceding-series type approvals first issued after 1 September 2025. Until 1 September 2028, Contracting Parties applying this Regulation must accept, and grant extensions to, preceding-series type approvals first issued before 1 September 2025. New paragraph 8.3. says: “The Competent Authority issuing the extension of approval shall assign a series number for such an extension and inform thereof the other Parties to the 1958 Agreement applying this Regulation by means of a communication form conforming to the model in Annex 1 to this Regulation”. The approval mark example in Annex 2 now shows approval number 109R012439, meeting the requirements of the 01 series of amendments.

Paragraph 1.1. now excludes retreaded tyres with a nominal speed category symbol below eighty (80) km/h, instead of a speed capability below 80 km/h. Paragraph 1.3. now excludes tyres originally produced without UN Regulation No. 54 type approval; before, it referred to an “E” or “e” mark. The “Bias belted” structure is deleted: its definition, its “B” and “BIAS-BELTED” marking, and its place in the list of structures in paragraph 4.1.5.2. New paragraphs 2.26.8. and 2.26.9. allow the optional suffix “MPT” for multi-purpose commercial vehicle tyres and the optional prefix “ST” for special trailer tyres. The date of retreading is a group of four digits; the three-digit code for tyres retreaded up to 31 December 1999 is deleted. Paragraph 3.5. no longer says that the markings and the approval mark must be indelible; they must still be clearly legible.

Many definitions and other texts get editorial changes, for example “Load index” becomes “Load-capacity index” and “Speed symbol” becomes “Speed category”. The definitions of “Class C2 tyres” and “Class C3 tyres” no longer say “conforming to Regulation No. 54”. Several references to “Regulation No. 54” now read “UN Regulation No. 54”, and the Agreement reference is now E/ECE/324-E/ECE/TRANS/505/Rev.3. In Annex 1, “APPROVAL GRANTED” now reads “Approval granted”, and the other items change the same way. The Annex 3 examples now use the size 255/70 R 22.5 instead of 295/80 R 22.5. The ETRTO and ALAPA references and addresses are updated.