Germany tightens winter tyre requirement

As of next year, new tyres will need to carry the 3PMSF ‘snowflake’ symbol on the sidewall in order to count as winter tyres in Germany. Colleagues at our sister publication Neue Reifenzeitung report that a new regulation which took effect on 1 June sets out that all tyres made from 1 January 2018 must be 3PMSF certified in order to qualify as winter tyres under German traffic regulations. This replaces the ‘situational winter tyre requirement’ in place since 2010, which only calls for tyres to wear the M+S marking.

Tyres produced before 1 January 2018 will be exempt from the regulation until 1 October 2024.