Brussels, 15th October 2009 - ETRMA’ Board of Directors confirmed the industry top priority for the new mandate of President Barroso Commission remains the competitiveness of the European tyre & rubber industry.

In the context of the recently passed tyre regulations to establish a safer and greener environment, ETRMA calls upon the European authorities to ensure a level playing field on the market in securing proper national implementation and compliance with the European legislation. The aim is to guarantee consumers’ safety and to support industry intense efforts to continuously improve products portfolio and technologies to respond to the regulatory needs while avoiding non-compliant and unsafe tyres to penetrate the European markets. Such challenges should be rapidly addressed by the Member States ideally under the coordination of the European Commission.

The Board also welcomed BRISA Bridgestone Sabanci Tyre Manufacturing and Trading Inc. in the membership of the Association, from 1st January 2010 as the first non-European manufacturer to join the Association.
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About ETRMA
The tyre and general rubber goods industry represents 4.200 companies, which employ 360 000 people in EU27. All together they generate a turnover exceeding € 47 b. The product range of our members is extensive from tyres, construction and automotive rubber goods to pharmaceutical, baby care, etc.

Tyre Corporate members: Apollo Vredestein, Bridgestone Europe, Continental, Cooper Tires, Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe, Hankook Tire Europe, Marangoni, Michelin, Mitas, Nokian Tyres, Pirelli Tyre, and Trelleborg Wheel Systems
National Associations: Belgium (Federplast.be), Finland (RMAF), France (SNCP), Germany (WDK), Italy (Federazione Gomma Plastica), Netherlands (NVR), Spain (Consorcio), and UK (BTMA)

Contact
Mrs F. Cinaralp, Secretary General,
+32 2 218 49 40, f.cinaralp@etrma.org