Traficom's updated CoP and studded tyre regulations enter into force on 15 March 2024

According to section 66, subsection 3 of the Vehicles Act, prior to granting a type-approval, the approval authority shall ensure that there are sufficient procedures in effect for ensuring an efficient control of conformity of production.

According to section 66, subsection 4 of the Vehicles Act, the approval authority or a body designated for this purpose by the approval authority shall assess the func-tionality of the arrangements concerning the initial assessments and product con-formity related to national, UNECE, EC and EU type-approval once every 12 months. For a special reason, the assessment may be carried out less frequently, however, it shall be carried out at least once every 24 months.

By this Regulation, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency issues under section 66, subsection 8 of the Vehicles Act further regulations on the written con-trol plans related to the control of conformity of production as regards national, UNECE, EC and EU type-approval as well as national small series type-approval and on sufficient product conformity arrangements This Regulation shall be applied to applicants and holders of national, UNECE, EC and EU type-approvals and national small series type-approvals.

With this Regulation, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency issues under the Vehicles Act (82/2021) provisions on technical requirements for studs and studded tyres allowed to be used in road traffic and on technical means to demonstrate the compliance of studs. 

Separate provisions on monitoring the conformity of the production of studs and tyre–stud combinations shall apply unless otherwise provided in this Regulation.

In addition, this Regulation lays down further provisions on the reports issued by recognised experts and the contents of test certificates. 

This Regulation applies to the national type-approval of studs used in the tyres of category M and N vehicles and their trailers as well as the national type-approval of studded tyres used in the aforementioned vehicle categories - afterwards referred to as type-approval. The Regulation also applies to ensuring the conformity of production of the studs and studded tyres in question. The general requirements specified in this Regulation concerning studded tyres and their studs apply to all tyres intended for road use, unless the stud or tyre–stud combination has been separately type-approved in accordance with this Regulation. The requirements of the Regulation are not applied, however, where studs or studded tyres are to be used in a light automatic goods transporter, bicycle or its trailer, tractor with a maximum design speed not exceeding 40 km/h, mobile machinery or the trailer of a tractor or mobile machinery. 

The granting of type-approval is subject to the condition that the applicant for approval presents a review drawn up by a recognised expert on the fulfilment of the requirements of this Regulation for either the tyre–stud combination or, alternatively, the stud type used in the tyre. For Class C3 tyres, type-approval may be granted only to the type of stud used.