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<\/figure>\n\nIn this article, you will find out everything you need to know about European regulations<\/strong>, approvals <\/strong>and certifications <\/strong>for snow chains, with a focus on K\u00f6nig snow chains.<\/p>\n\n European regulations on snow chains<\/p>\n\n The rules on the use of snow equipment vary from country to country. In many European countries, the requirement for winter equipment is established by local ordinances, which are only valid for certain road sections. Here is an updated overview: <\/p>\n\n \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf9 Austria<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory:<\/em> 1 November \u2013 15 April \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea Belgium<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Requirement: <\/em>none in general \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddec Bulgaria<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory:<\/em> 1 November \u2013 1 March \ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf7 Croatia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory:<\/em> 15 November \u2013 15 April \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddff Czech Republic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory:<\/em> 1 November \u2013 31 March \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddea Estonia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory:<\/em> 1 December – 1 March \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddee Finland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory:<\/em> 1 November – 31 March \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 France<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory:<\/em> 1 November \u2013 31 March (in alpine areas) \ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea Germany<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory: <\/em>in winter conditions \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\uddf7 Greece<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Requirement: <\/em>none in general \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddea Ireland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Requirement: <\/em>none in general \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9 Italy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory:<\/em> 15 November \u2013 15 April (varies by region) \ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddfb Latvia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory: <\/em>winter tyres from 1 December to 1 March \ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddf9 Lithuania<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory:<\/em> 10 November – 1 April \ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddfa Luxembourg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory: <\/em>winter tyres mandatory in case of snow or ice, no fixed period \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Netherlands<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory: <\/em>use of winter or all-season tyres \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1 Poland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory: <\/em>winter tyres recommended \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9 Portugal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Requirement: <\/em>no general requirement \ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf4 Romania<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Requirement: <\/em>winter tyres mandatory from 1 November to 31 March; chains recommended in case of heavy snowfall \ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddf0 Slovakia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory: <\/em>winter tyres mandatory in case of snow\/ice from 15 November to 31 March \ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddee Slovenia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory:<\/em> 15 November \u2013 15 March \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 Spain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory: <\/em>only in mountainous areas or where indicated \ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddea Sweden<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory: <\/em>winter tyres from 1 December to 31 March (depending on weather conditions) \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udded Switzerland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udd53 Mandatory: <\/em>only where indicated (mountain areas, Alpine passes) Always check the local regulations of the country where you are driving (e.g. Austria, Switzerland, Italy) because technical approval does not automatically guarantee that the device complies with the regulations governing winter traction devices in that specific area.<\/p>\n\n Snow chain approvals: what they mean<\/p>\n\n Approved snow chains must comply with specific European technical standards, which guarantee their safety and compatibility with different types of vehicles.<\/p>\n\n When it comes to safety and compliance, it is essential to understand the link between national regulations and product standards:<\/p>\n\n The main approvals recognised in Europe are:<\/p>\n\n EN 16662-1:2020<\/p>\n\n Introduced in 2020, this is the new European standard that unifies the safety and performance requirements for all supplementary traction devices (snow chains, textile and hybrid traction systems). It is the reference approval for driving in all EU countries, except Austria, which requires chains to be certified to \u00d6-Norm V5117. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n The vehicles covered by EN 16662-1:2020 are<\/p>\n\n \u00d6-Norm V5117<\/p>\n\n This is the Austrian standard, one of the most stringent in Europe, relating solely to metal devices. \u00d6-Norm V5117 certified chains are also recognised in Germany, Switzerland and most of the European Union. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n The vehicles covered by \u00d6-Norm V5117 are:<\/p>\n\n \u00d6-Norm V5119<\/p>\n\n \u00d6-Norm V5119 is an Austrian standard for snow chains for heavy vehicles. It ensures that chains offer sufficient traction and resistance on snow and ice and that they comply with certain quality control procedures during production. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n It also establishes minimum safety and quality requirements for Professional snow chains intended for heavy vehicles (greater than 3.5 t) or passenger transport (>9 seats, including the driver):<\/p>\n\n Here are the main differences between \u00d6-Norm V5117, \u00d6-Norm V5119 and EN 16662-1:2020<\/p>\n\n \u00d6-Norm V5117<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Sets the Austrian gold standard for metal snow chains for light vehicles in classes M1, N1, O1, O2 (cars with up to 9 seats and light trucks up to 3.5 t). It defines: <\/p>\n\n EN 16662-1:2020<\/strong><\/p>\n\n European standard covering supplementary traction devices (STDs) for passenger cars, SUVs and light commercial vehicles (categories M1, N1, O1, O2).<\/p>\n\n It should be noted that EN 16662-1:2020 does not provide for production control procedures, which are instead provided for in the \u00d6-Norm V5117 standard.<\/p>\n\n \u00d6-Norm V5119<\/strong><\/p>\n\n This standard defines the requirements and tests for snow chains intended for use on vehicles in classes N2, N3, M2, M3, O3 and O4.<\/p>\n\n The standard establishes specific requirements for snow chains intended for heavy vehicles, which must withstand greater loads and comply with different dimensional and structural requirements than those for light vehicles. The main objective is to ensure that the chains provide sufficient grip on snow-covered or icy surfaces in order to guarantee road safety. <\/p>\n\n Some products in the K\u00f6nig range, such as the K\u00f6nig XG-12 PRO<\/a>, K\u00f6nig XB-16<\/a> and K\u00f6nig XD-16<\/a>, are certified according to \u00d6-Norm V5117, EN 16662-1 and \u00d6-Norm V5119, thus meeting all legal requirements for winter equipment for both light vehicles (under 3.5 t) and heavy vehicles (over 3.5 t total weight).<\/p>\n\n Some products in the K\u00f6nig Professional range are not certified according to \u00d6-Norm V5119, as their intended application classes do not fall within the categories covered by this standard. These include: <\/p>\n\n Technical requirements and mandatory marking<\/p>\n\n The \u00d6-Norm V5117 and EN 16662-1:2020 standards define the target vehicles, construction specifications and materials, strength requirements and mandatory marking on the product and packaging.<\/p>\n\n Marking on the product and packaging is a fundamental part of the technical standards as it guarantees the possibility of control by the competent authorities: the unique marking of the product and packaging allows the authorities to trace the type-approval certificate number to verify whether the product complies with the reference standards according to the vehicle class and therefore whether it can circulate regularly when winter equipment is mandatory.<\/p>\n\n K\u00f6nig snow chains: synonymous with quality and compliance<\/p>\n\n All K\u00f6nig snow chains fully comply with Italian and European regulations. The models in the range are certified to \u00d6-Norm V5117 and EN 16662-1:2020, while some chains for heavy vehicles (such as the K\u00f6nig XG-12 Pro<\/a>, K\u00f6nig XD-16<\/a>, K\u00f6nig XD-16 Pro<\/a> and K\u00f6nig XB-16<\/a>) are also approved according to \u00d6-Norm V5119, which defines the safety and resistance requirements for devices intended for industrial and heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n K\u00f6nig Professional products certified according to \u00d6-Norm V5119 include:<\/p>\n\n Verification of approval<\/p>\n\n You can easily check the marking on the product or packaging:<\/p>\n\n The \u00d6-Norm V5119<\/strong> also requires that the product be marked, allowing its identification during inspections carried out by the competent authorities. Is it mandatory to have both approvals (EN and \u00d6-Norm)?<\/p>\n\n In general, no, it is not necessary to have both.<\/p>\n\n If you have a product approved according to EN 16662-1:2020, this is sufficient in many EU countries. In Austria, the device must be approved according to \u00d6-Norm <\/strong>V5117 for cars with up to 9 seats, light trailers or trucks up to 3.5 t, or according to \u00d6-Norm V5119 <\/strong>for trucks with a total mass of over 3.5 t, buses with more than 9 seats or heavy trailers. <\/p>\n\n Conclusion<\/p>\n\n Choosing approved and certified snow chains is a guarantee of safety, performance and compliance with European regulations. K\u00f6nig products, tested and certified according to the latest standards, offer reliability and peace of mind for the winter season. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Learn about European standards, approvals and certifications for K\u00f6nig snow chains. Stay safe and compliant on every winter road. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":69996,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1002],"tags":[1596,1597,1595],"class_list":["post-70010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-products-au","tag-approval","tag-homologation","tag-regulations"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.konigchain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Konig-CG-9_Mercedes-6-1024x683.jpg\")
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