BTMA Calls for UK Government Alignment with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)

The British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (BTMA) has written to the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to emphasise the urgent need for the UK to fully align its forthcoming deforestation-related regulations with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

With the EUDR set to come into force on 1 January 2026 (still under discussion), the tyre industry — a £1.5 billion sector supporting around 5,000 skilled jobs across the UK — is already preparing for compliance. Manufacturers have invested heavily in training, IT systems, and supply-chain traceability tools to meet the new requirements. The industry broadly supports the EUDR’s aims and recognises the environmental and ethical imperatives behind it.

However, uncertainty remains around the UK’s approach. Early indications suggest that natural rubber may not be included within the scope of the UK Forest Risk Commodity Regulation (UKFRC). Natural rubber is a critical raw material for tyre production. Its exclusion would create a major loophole, weaken the UK’s environmental credibility, and expose domestic manufacturers to unfair competition.

Divergence between UK and EU rules would also increase administrative burden and cost for UK businesses operating across both markets. More importantly, it risks allowing non-compliant imports to enter the UK unchecked, undermining legitimate manufacturers that follow high sustainability standards.

These concerns are far from theoretical. On 1 August 2025, the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) extended anti-dumping measures against truck and bus tyres from China, with further investigations under consideration for passenger car and light truck tyres. These developments highlight the ongoing exposure of the UK market to unfair trading practices — reinforcing the need for strong, consistent regulation and enforcement.

In the letter, BTMA urges the UK Government to:

1. Explicitly include natural rubber within any UK deforestation-related regulation, ensuring consistency, credibility, and fair competition.
2. Apply due diligence responsibilities only to the operator placing commodities or derived products onto the UK market for the first time, without requiring downstream actors to transfer or reproduce due diligence statements (DDS) through the supply chain. This ensures proportionality and aligns with how the sector operates in practice.

BTMA believes that aligning with the EUDR is not just an environmental responsibility — it is a strategic industrial decision. A harmonised regulatory framework would safeguard UK manufacturing competitiveness, protect jobs, and reinforce the country’s global environmental leadership.

We welcome continued dialogue with the UK Government and remain committed to collaborating on effective, credible, and fair deforestation-related policies for the UK.