This article is taken from the general report of the Winter Maintenance Congress held in Tampere (Finland) on 25–27 February 1986, published in the journal Routes/Roads No. 259, second quarter 1986. At its creation in 1965, the Committee dealt solely with winter serviceability. Since the 1975 World Congress, held in Mexico, it has become concerned with all aspects of maintenance and serviceability, apart from specific problems concerning pavements which are examined in detail by the Technical Committees on « Concrete Roads » and « Flexible Roads ».