UNECE Adopts Strict Tire Wear Rules

Recently, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations officially adopted a key proposal, formally incorporating two new methods for quantifying tire wear into the core provisions of UN Regulation No. 117.

It is understood that this regulation, after more than three years of industry research, technical demonstration, and multi-party consultation, has finally determined its implementation timeline. It will first apply to passenger car tires (C1 category tires) in the EU and UNECE member states from September 1, 2025, gradually expanding to light commercial vehicle tires from 2026, and fully covering heavy commercial vehicle tires (C2 and C3 categories) by 2027.

This new tire environmental regulation, widely regarded by the global tire industry as the "strictest in history," not only imposes stringent requirements on tire manufacturers' technological research and development and production processes, but will also directly impact the compliance access of all tire companies planning to export to the European market, reshaping the European tire import supply chain.

According to details of the regulations released by UNECE, the core highlight of the new regulations lies in establishing a unified and quantifiable tire wear assessment system. It explicitly requires all compliant tires to pass at least one of two mandatory wear tests.

The first is a real-vehicle road test: Test vehicles equipped with the target tires must complete 8,000 kilometers of continuous convoy testing in a compliant open road environment, recording tire wear data under different road conditions (highways, urban roads, rural roads).

The second is a laboratory simulation test: A 5,000-kilometer simulated driving test is completed on professional rolling drum testing equipment, using precise sensors to capture tire wear under different loads and speeds. Both testing methods use "tire weight loss per kilometer per ton load (unit: milligrams)" as the core quantitative indicator to ensure the scientific validity and comparability of the test results.

Meanwhile, the new regulations set differentiated wear index limits for different types of tires and their usage scenarios. The base limit for ordinary summer tires and regular snow tires is 1.00. For reinforced heavy-duty and off-road tires, reasonable adjustment coefficients can be applied for based on their load rating and usage scenario. These adjustment coefficients can be accumulated, but the total limit cannot exceed 1.30.

Taking reinforced snow tires as an example, the limit is relaxed to 1.20 in the first phase (2025-2026) and further tightened to 1.10 in the second phase (from 2026 onwards), gradually increasing environmental requirements. Furthermore, the new regulations clarify the certification process for test reports, requiring tests to be completed by UNECE-accredited third-party authoritative institutions, and test data to be uploaded to the UNECE regulatory platform in real time for record-keeping, ensuring compliance and traceability.

It is noteworthy that this proposal was jointly spearheaded by the French Ministry of the Environment and the European Commission, with the core objective of responding to the global "dual-carbon" strategy and plastic pollution control actions.

Microplastic pollution from tire wear is one of the key areas for addressing. A previous research report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) showed that of the 1.3 million tons of microplastics that entered the ocean globally in 2016, tire wear accounted for a staggering 78%, far exceeding other sources such as plastic packaging and synthetic fabrics, posing a serious threat to marine ecosystems.

Against this backdrop, the new UNECE regulations will serve as a core supporting reference method for the Euro 7 emission standards proposal, forming a collaborative governance system with vehicle exhaust emission control and particulate matter emission limits to jointly reduce the environmental impact of the transportation sector.

The head of UNECE's transport department stated that after the full implementation of the new regulations, it is expected to reduce tire microplastic emissions in the European market by more than 35%, playing a significant leading role in the environmental transformation of the global tire industry.

Furthermore, the scope of this regulation covers not only the 27 EU member states but also more than 50 UNECE member states, including Russia, Turkey, Japan, and South Korea, forming the most influential tire environmental regulatory system globally.

For major tire exporting countries such as China, Thailand, and Malaysia, the challenges brought by the new regulations are particularly significant. Data shows that China is one of the largest sources of tire imports to the European market, with exports reaching €8.6 billion in 2024, of which passenger car tires accounted for over 60%.

Under the new regulations, these exporting companies must readjust their tire material formulations—for example, by using more wear-resistant high-performance rubber, optimizing the proportion of reinforcing agents, or upgrading production processes—such as improving vulcanization technology and enhancing tire structural stability—to reduce the wear index.

Some small and medium-sized tire companies, due to weak technological R&D capabilities and insufficient capital reserves, may face the risk of failing to meet the standards on time and being forced to withdraw from the European market.

Industry experts advise global tire buyers to carefully verify whether suppliers have obtained compliance certification under UNECE Regulation 117, thoroughly check the wear index data in third-party test reports, and pay attention to the supplier's technological upgrade progress and production capacity assurance capabilities.

This is to avoid order delays, customs clearance obstacles, or penalties due to upstream supplier compliance issues. Furthermore, buyers can sign compliance guarantee agreements with suppliers in advance to clarify the responsibilities and obligations of both parties after the regulatory changes, reducing procurement risks.