Mobility Matters: The Tyre Industry’s Perspective on the Clean Industrial Deal
The European Commission’s Clean Industrial Deal (CID) marks a crucial step in securing Europe’s industrial future.
However, greater ambition is needed to truly enhance competitiveness and sustainability in the tyre industry.
Access to Affordable Energy: lowering energy bills
Tyre manufacturing is energy-intensive. The current high energy costs make it challenging for tyre companies manufacturing in Europe to compete with tyres produced in other geographies.
Whilst the Action Plan for Affordable presented together with the CID is a welcome initiative, more concrete measures are needed to accelerate the deployment of clean energy, improve grid infrastructure, and ensure that industries under pressure from high energy costs and high level of imports receive targeted support.
The proposed simplification of state aid rules is a positive step, and we need to ensure that all sectors subject to this double challenge are eligible. However, clarity on long-term structural cost reductions is still lacking.
Lead Markets: Non-price criteria in public procurement and incentives for private purchases
The revision of public procurement rules should actively promote the use of existing labels. Tyre safety and environmental performances are already visible to consumers since 2012 through the tyre label. Best performing tyres should be supported through criteria in public and private procurement as well as by incentivising consumers in their choices. This would be a virtuous way to increase safety and green transport whilst ensuring that our industry’s investments in green technologies are rewarded.
The revision of public and private procurement should actively promote the tyre label and incentivise the use of best performing tyres to ensure our industry’s return on investments and the improvement of transport safety and environmental performances.
Circularity and Secure Access to Materials
A strong circular economy is essential for Europe’s resource security. The proposed Circular Economy Act (2026) should remove regulatory barriers and harmonise standards for material recovery and recycling (such as harmonised End-of-Waste criteria for tyre-derived materials).
In the case of tyres, the European Commission already has the mandate to do so, and it is our hope that this new political impulse will allow for the publication of these criteria way before the Circular Economy Act sees the light.
The tyre industry already achieves over 95% End-of-Life Tyre (ELT) collection Policies should help expand the secondary materials market and improve extended producer responsibility schemes.
Global Markets and International Partnerships
The tyre industry depends on third countries for natural rubber supply as well as for other materials used in tyres. The CID’s focus on critical raw materials should include a dedicated Rubber Strategy, ensuring natural rubber's long-term recognition as essential to European resilience.
The review of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) should ensure stability and fair market conditions. Expanding CBAM to cover materials intensively used in the tyre industry (such as carbon black and synthetic rubber) in a context where the Commission is still looking at modifying how CBAM will be implemented, seems premature. Without including the finished product this would further reduce European manufacturers’ competitiveness at a time when producing in Europe is already almost three times more expensive than in Asia.
Looking forward to a comprehensive Automotive Industrial Plan
The Clean Industrial Deal will serve as a framework for engaging in a dialogue with industry to develop sectoral transition pathways.
To address the crisis in the automotive sector, a holistic view of the entire industry's long-term challenges is needed.
The tyre industry plays a key role in vehicle performance and clean mobility. This role and needs must be reflected in the forthcoming Industrial Plan for an Automotive Sector.
ETRMA is committed to driving this vision forward and ensuring that the tyre industry remains a cornerstone of the European economy.
Adam McCarthy
ETRMA Secretary General
