The British Tyre Manufacturers' Association (BTMA) has written to the Secretary of State for DEFRA, Emma Reynolds MP, calling for the UK to fully align its forthcoming deforestation-related regulations with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
In a letter dated 7 November 2025, BTMA chief executive Darren Lindsey emphasised that regulatory alignment is essential not only for environmental protection but also for safeguarding UK manufacturing competitiveness, jobs, and ethical standards within the tyre sector.
The EUDR, scheduled to come into force on 1 January 2026 subject to ongoing EU debates, will require strict traceability and due diligence for commodities that potentially contribute to deforestation, including natural rubber. Lindsey noted that the regulation's aims are broadly supported within the UK tyre industry, which has already begun investing in compliance measures such as supply-chain traceability systems and IT infrastructure.
"UK tyre manufacturers are preparing for these changes and viewing alignment as a strategic decision that supports both environmental goals and the sector's competitive position," the BTMA stated.
The association has put forward several specific recommendations to ensure regulatory consistency:
Explicit inclusion of natural rubber: The BTMA urges the UK government to explicitly include natural rubber in any UK deforestation regulation to ensure consistency and fair competition between UK and EU businesses.
Clear due diligence responsibilities: The association recommends that due diligence obligations should apply only to the initial operators placing commodities or products on the UK market, rather than downstream actors, aligning with EU regulatory practice.
Avoiding regulatory divergence: Lindsey warned that divergence between UK and EU rules would increase administrative costs and could potentially allow non-compliant imports into the UK market, undermining manufacturers who adhere to high sustainability standards.
In his letter, Lindsey connected the deforestation issue to recent anti-dumping measures in the UK tyre sector, arguing that robust and harmonised regulation is essential to protect legitimate operators from unfair trading practices.
The BTMA's position underscores the strategic, industrial, and environmental importance of regulatory alignment with the EU, urging UK policymakers to facilitate harmonised, credible, and effective policies for combating global deforestation within the tyre sector.
The association's correspondence comes at a crucial time as the UK develops its own approach to deforestation regulations, with industry stakeholders keen to ensure that British manufacturers are not placed at a competitive disadvantage whilst maintaining high environmental and ethical standards.
The UK’s framework stems from Schedule 17 of the Environment Act 2021, which requires due diligence on forest-risk commodities but still relies on secondary legislation to become fully operational. As DEFRA finalises the regime, BTMA argues that aligning with the EUDR would provide credibility, lower duplication and maintain a level playing field for manufacturers supplying both markets.
Tyre News has reported on industry expectations that any EUDR postponement must deliver genuine simplification for rubber supply chains, and on the EU’s latest trade-defence actions that shape market conditions for UK suppliers.
Tagged with: BTMA, EUDR, deforestation-free supply chains, natural rubber traceability, UK Environment Act, due diligence, tyre manufacturing, UK-EU alignment, compliance costs, trade defence
Disclaimer: This content may include forward-looking statements. Views expressed are not verified or endorsed by Tyre News Media.
