TYRES EUROPE JOINS ACEA AND CLEPA IN WARNING AGAINST BROAD CBAM EXTENSION

Tyres Europe has joined ACEA and CLEPA in sending a letter to EU policymakers on the proposed extension of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), ahead of trilogue negotiations. The three automotive industry associations ask that CBAM be extended to downstream products only where a material carbon-leakage risk is demonstrated, and only once the methodology, data and verification capacity have been shown to work for complex goods.

Tyres Europe supports CBAM’s objectives and the EU’s climate goals. Our concern is that the list under negotiation covers certain automotive products and precursors, the extension to which would give upstream producers marginal protection while adding costs and moving carbon-leakage risk onto downstream automotive manufacturers. In the letter, we note that this financial pressure extends to tyre producers, and that the automotive industry already faces rising carbon costs on steel and aluminium produced in Europe.

The three associations consider the proposed 2028 implementation date premature, as the current regime has yet to prove it works across global supply chains. We also ask for scope decisions to be transparent and evidence-based, noting that the Commission’s own methodology is not being applied consistently.

To limit the compliance burden, our letter asks for simpler reporting rules and for default emissions values that reflect how products are actually made, published early so companies can plan. We also ask policymakers to consider possible mitigation measures such as thresholds and compensation for affected downstream sectors if carbon leakage protection cannot be equally ensured.

Tyres Europe’s Secretary General, Dr Adam McCarthy said: “Tyre manufacturers in Europe support CBAM’s objectives, but an uneven and pointless extension would add costs and compliance burdens across the automotive value chain, including tyre producers, before the current system has been proven effective. We ask negotiators to agree on a proportionate scope that companies can realistically implement and comply with.”