The latest monthly release of Tire Trade Europe shows European PCLT tyre imports (EU + UK) hitting a new all-time high in September. But the headline number masks a much more uneven picture beneath the surface.
Compared with the same month a year ago, most origins actually shipped fewer tyres into Europe. The record total is instead driven by strong growth from just three sources.
- China recorded by far the largest increase, with shipments rising by just over one million tyres versus September 2024.
- Serbia added another 289,000 tyres, extending the steady expansion seen across recent quarters.
- Vietnam, although smaller in scale, more than doubled its volumes year-on-year — the most pronounced proportional rise among major origins.
These shifts appear closely linked to the current policy environment. The EU’s anti-dumping investigation into PCLT tyres from China is expected to publish its initial findings by 21 January. Because any duties could be applied retroactively to goods received after late October, importers have had a clear incentive to front-load shipments ahead of the decision.
The result is a temporary surge in imports, likely to be followed by a downturn once the industry gains clarity on the tariff rate.
Overall, Europe’s new record reflects a market shaped not just by demand, but by divergent country dynamics and strategic timing around regulatory uncertainty — patterns that come through clearly in this month’s Tire Trade Europe dataset.
