Winter tyre sales could reach 1.4bn euros

The mandatory requirement for all cars to be fitted with winter tyres, which has been mentioned more and more often lately, is an over one billion-euro business for dealers and importers of tyres. As with other emergency ordinances or law drafts, the Government releases information at the last minute.

Out of the 4.2 million cars registered in Romania , fewer than 3.5 million actually have a winter tyre set, considering the sales of such products over the last four years.

The Government would pass the emergency ordinance making winter tyres mandatory for all cars from November 1 through March 31 within two weeks at most, said Transport and Infrastructure Minister Anca Boagiu on Friday. Such a law is already in force in Western Europe, in countries like Germany , for instance, where if a car is found to have caused an accident, the insurer does not reimburse the owner unless the car was properly equipped.