UK tire makers urge ‘full alignment with EU deforestation rules

London – The British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (BTMA) has urged the UK government to ensure that its upcoming anti-deforestation legislation is “fully aligned” with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

In a 14 Nov letter to the secretary of state for the department for environment, food and rural affairs (DEFRA), BTMA said the sector is already preparing for the EUDR, which is currently scheduled to take effect on 1 Jan 2026.

The UK tire industry – a £1.5-billion (€1.7 billion) sector supporting around 5,000 skilled jobs – has invested in “training, IT systems, and supply-chain traceability tools” in anticipation of stricter requirements, said BTMA.

However, the association warned that early indications suggest that natural rubber may not be included in the UK’s forthcoming Forest Risk Commodity Regulation (UKFRC).

BTMA described natural rubber as “a critical raw material for tire production,” adding that its exclusion would “create a major loophole,” weaken the UK’s credibility, and “expose domestic manufacturers to unfair competition.”

Diverging rules, it warned, would increase compliance costs for companies operating in both the UK and EU, while allowing “non-compliant imports to enter the UK unchecked.”

This would lead to "undercutting" of manufacturers that follow recognised sustainability standards, added the association, citing recent trade actions as evidence of tire maker's exposure to unfair trading practices.

In its letter, therefore, BTMA called on the Westminster government to “explicitly include natural rubber” within any UK deforestation regulation to ensure “consistency, credibility, and fair competition.”

Echoing calls from its EU counterparts,the association emphasided that due-diligence rules should only apply to the operator placing commodities or derived products onto the UK market for the first time.

This, it explained, would avoid requirements for downstream actors to “transfer or reproduce due diligence statements (DDS)” throughout the full length of the tire value-chain.

Aligning with the EU regulation is “not just an environmental responsibility — it is a strategic industrial decision,” concluded BTMA.

A harmonised rule-set, it stressed, would “safeguard UK manufacturing competitiveness, protect jobs, and reinforce the country’s global environmental leadership.”