13. On behalf of the group of interested experts (GOIE) on snow tyre provisions, the experts from Germany and ETRTO introduced draft amendments which would allow the type approval of special use tyres that fulfil the requirements for snow performance in Annex 7 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRBP/2019/14). The experts of China, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and OICA raised several questions on the proposed new definitions and limits. The expert from EC made a reservation, because the EU member States should first reach a common position on the proposal which would set up new less stringent limits. The expert of the Russian Federation, being part of GOIE, volunteered to deliver a presentation at the next session with the aim to provide additional explanations. GRBP decided to continue this discussion at the next session.

14. The expert from ETRTO recalled the postponed proposal for amendments (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRVA/2018/5 and GRB-68-12) and presented complementary modifications (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRBP/2019/19, GRBP-70-21-Rev.2). Various experts posed clarifying questions, in particular, on the use of terms “repeatability” and “reproducibility”. Following an in-depth discussion, GRBP adopted the proposals, as amended by Annex III, and requested the secretariat to submit them to WP.29 and AC.1 for consideration and vote at their March 2020 sessions as a draft Supplement 11 to the 02 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 117.

15. GRBP was briefed on the activities of IWG on Wet Grip Performance of Tyres in a Worn State (IWG WGWT) (GRBP-70-23) and noted that IWG WGWT planned to submit an informal document to the seventy-second session of GRBP (September 2020) and a working document for adoption at the seventy-third session (January 2021). GRBP agreed that IWG would be co-chaired by France and the European Commission. The GRBP Chair encouraged all experts to participate in IWG WGWT.

16. The expert of EC proposed enlarging the scope of IWG WGWT to C2/C3 tyres and some further modifications to its Terms of Reference (GRBP-70-03). The experts from France and Japan were of the view out that C1 tyres should remain a priority for IWG WGWT and that C2/C3 tyres should only be addressed afterwards. The experts from the Netherlands and ETRTO pointed out that the behaviour of C2/C3 tyres in a worn state is completely different from C1 tyres. GRBP decided to revert to the issue at the next session and requested IWG WGWT to consider this idea in the interim. GRBP agreed to other modifications to the Terms of Reference, as laid down in Annex IV of the session report.

17. The expert from ETRTO provided an update of tyre industry and ISO activities on improving the wet grip test method for passenger car tyres (C1) (GRBP-70-20) and indicated his intention to submit a working document to the next session of GRBP. The Chair encouraged GRBP experts to send their comments to ETRTO.

18. The expert of ETRTO pointed out the need for a new definition of “traction tyres”, because the current definition did not well segregate real traction tyres from non-traction ones (GRBP-70-19). The experts from OICA commented on the document. The Chair invited ETRTO, in cooperation with OICA, to prepare a formal proposal for consideration at the next session.