Europe passenger car tire imports fall sharply as Chinese volumes slump

Brussels — Passenger car and light truck (PC/LT) tire imports into the EU27 and UK fell sharply in the opening months of 2026 as imports from China almost halved amid EU anti-dumping moves, new Tyres Europe data shows.

In its latest quarterly market report, Tyres Europe said PC/LT imports into Europe declined 21.6% year-on-year in Jan-Feb 2026, reversing growth of 26% recorded in the first quarter of 2025.

Total import volumes fell by 5.6 million units over the two-month period, with imports from China dropping by 8.7 million units, or 45%, compared with the same period last year.

China’s share of total imports declined from 74% to 52%, according to the report prepared by Astutus Research.

The decline, noted Tyres Europe, follows a surge in Chinese shipments during 2025 as importers accelerated purchases ahead of potential anti-dumping duties.

“The ongoing EU anti-dumping investigation, with a concern that duties could be back-dated, encouraged significant pre-buying of Chinese PC/LT tires in 2025,” the report said.

Imports from China peaked in September last year before declining in the fourth quarter, with the downturn “accelerating into 2026,” said Tyres Europe.

The decline in Chinese shipments was partly offset by rising imports from ASEAN countries, many of which host manufacturing plants owned by Chinese tire makers.

ASEAN-origin tires increased their share of European imports from 7% to 21% during the period, led by Thailand, where shipments rose 147%, and Vietnam, up 165%.

Cambodia also added around 400,000 units from what Tyres Europe described as a “near-zero base” in 2025.

In the truck and bus radial (TBR) segment, imports into the EU27 and UK from non-European countries increased 24% year-on-year in the first two months of 2026.

Thailand and Vietnam remained the key growth drivers, with combined shipments from the two countries rising 39% and accounting for more than 63% of total imports.

China’s TBR volumes were described as “flat,” resulting in a significant decline in market share as overall imports increased.

India became the fourth-largest source of TBR imports into Europe, with a market share above 5%, while Egypt slipped to fifth place ahead of South Korea, the report added.