EU Imposes Anti-Dumping Duties of Up to 45.3% on Chinese Tires
The European Commission has introduced anti-dumping duties of 4.3% to 45.3% on new car, bus and light commercial vehicle tires imported from China. The measure took effect on 8 July 2026 and will run for five years, targeting the budget Tier-3 segment where most Chinese imports sit.
EU sets anti-dumping duties on Chinese tires
The European Union has begun charging anti-dumping duties on new pneumatic tires for passenger cars, buses and light commercial vehicles imported from China. According to auto-motor-und-sport.de, the measure took effect on 8 July 2026, based on Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1540, which was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 6 July. The regulation concludes a European Commission investigation into competitive distortions on the European tire market. Russian reports citing the European Commission put the overall range of the duties at 4.3% to 45.3%.
Rates vary by manufacturer
The level of the duty depends on the producer. Companies that cooperated with the Commission during the investigation pay a rate of 24.4%; auto-motor-und-sport.de names Zodo Tire among them. The Chinese plants of the Hankook group face a reduced rate of 7.4%. All other Chinese tire producers, along with the explicitly named Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group Co., Ltd., are subject to the maximum rate of 45.3%.
For importers and distributors, precise proof of the manufacturer is now decisive. Without documentation confirming the producer, the highest duty rate applies automatically. That turns paperwork into a direct cost factor at customs.
Why Brussels acted
The Commission introduced the duties in response to a complaint from the Coalition Against Unfair Tyre Imports, an association of tire manufacturers within the EU that represents the interests of the European tire industry. The complaint alleged that Chinese suppliers were selling tires on the European market at prices below their production costs, distorting competition.
According to the coalition, more than 90% of Chinese imports fall into the so-called Tier-3 segment — the market for especially cheap budget tires. The Commission identified this segment as the source of the greatest economic harm to domestic producers. The duties have been set for a period of five years.
Impact on trade flows and consumers
For tire dealers and importers, the new rules mean added effort in pricing and documentation. Surcharges of between 24% and 45% are difficult to absorb fully within the low-price segment, so passing the costs on to end customers is the likely outcome, auto-motor-und-sport.de reports. Drivers who previously relied on very cheap Chinese-made tires should expect rising prices.
- Cooperating producers, including Zodo Tire: 24.4%
- Hankook's Chinese plants: 7.4%
- All other producers and Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group Co., Ltd.: 45.3%
- Duration: five years from 8 July 2026
Because the Tier-3 budget category accounts for the bulk of Chinese shipments, the measure directly targets the highest-volume, lowest-margin part of the trade. European producers gain protection, while Chinese exporters lose the price advantage that carried most of their sales into the bloc.