EU imposes tariffs of up to 45.3% on Chinese tires after import surge
The European Union has imposed five-year antidumping duties of 4.3% to 45.3% on Chinese tires for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Chinese suppliers held 28% of the relevant EU market in 2024, while their share of Spain’s Asian tire imports reached 77% in 2025.
Brussels targets low-priced tire imports
The European Commission has imposed antidumping duties ranging from 4.3% to 45.3% on tires for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles imported from China. According to Vandal, the measures will initially remain in force for five years. The highest rate, 45.3%, applies to products made by Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group, while La Voz de Galicia reports that some well-known non-Chinese brands manufacturing in China will face duties above 24%.
The decision follows an investigation launched in May 2025. Vandal reports that EU authorities concluded that several Chinese manufacturers were selling tires in Europe below their production costs, with support from the Chinese state contributing to their competitive position. Brussels judged that these practices were damaging an industry employing more than 80,000 people across 14 EU member states.
The measure extends the EU’s more defensive approach to its automotive industry, which already includes tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Tires have become another major point of friction as European policymakers seek to limit the impact of Chinese excess capacity on domestic manufacturing.
Chinese suppliers gain European market share
La Voz de Galicia reports that more than 90% of imported Chinese tires are concentrated in the lowest-priced segment. The relevant European tire market generated more than €18 billion from about 330 million units in 2024. Almost 93 million of those tires came from China, giving Chinese manufacturers a 28% market share, compared with 18% in 2021, according to figures cited from Carscoops.
Spain illustrates the speed of the shift. Data from the National Association of Tire Distributors and Importers, cited by Vandal, show that Spanish imports of tires for passenger cars, SUVs, off-road vehicles and light commercial vehicles from Asia rose 11.9% in 2025 to 15,045,550 units. Chinese companies supplied 11,630,660 tires, equivalent to 77% of the total.
Brands including Lanvigator, Tracmax, Triangle and Goodride have become increasingly common among Spanish workshops and distributors. Their central advantage remains price, particularly as motorists seek to reduce vehicle maintenance costs. The new duties could weaken that advantage: calculations by Automobilwoche cited by La Voz de Galicia indicate that consumers may pay an additional €9 to €16 per tire.
European manufacturers face pressure on margins
The growth of Asian imports is pushing established manufacturers toward higher-value products. Michelin’s Iberian subsidiary increased revenue by 1.9% to €3.197 billion and raised sales by 1%, but profit fell 14.5%, from €191.5 million to €163.7 million. The company linked its focus on higher-quality, higher-margin tires to stronger Asian competition in mid-market segments.
Bridgestone’s Spanish subsidiary recorded a 2.4% revenue decline to €750 million in 2024, while profit dropped 59.5%, from €43.4 million to €17.6 million. The company cited trade-policy uncertainty, inflation, geopolitical tensions and extreme weather. It estimated that these factors contributed to a 16% decline in demand for new tires and a 2% contraction in the used-tire market.
Goodyear’s Spanish unit saw revenue fall 4.8% to €447 million and profit decline 23.6% to €2 million. Continental was an exception: despite slightly lower revenue, its Spanish division increased profit by 21.4%, from €7.8 million in 2023 to €9.5 million a year later. The duties may give European producers more room to defend prices, but their impact will differ by manufacturer and could also raise costs for distributors, fleets and motorists.
