The European Retreading Association, BIPAVER, has welcomed a significant clarification from the European Commission confirming that retreaded tyres are compatible with the EU Taxonomy Regulation. This marks a critical step forward for the European retreading sector, offering long-sought regulatory certainty and reinforcing the role of retreading in sustainable transport strategies.
BIPAVER gets Crucial Clarification for the European Retreading Industry
Retreaded tyres had faced ambiguity under the EU Taxonomy Regulation (EU) 2020/852 and its delegated acts—namely (EU) 2021/2139, 2023/2485, and 2023/2486. These legal instruments define technical screening criteria for climate and environmental objectives, including performance metrics derived from the EU Tyre Labelling Regulation (EU) 2020/740. As retreaded tyres are not currently included within the scope of the labelling regulation, they could not be evaluated against such criteria, causing hesitation among fleet operators and public procurement bodies despite the clear environmental advantages of retreaded products.
To address this regulatory gap, BIPAVER formally approached the European Commission for clarification. The Commission has now confirmed that retreaded tyres may be considered sustainable under the EU Taxonomy framework—specifically under Activity 5.4, “Sale of Second-Hand Goods,” as outlined in Annex II of the Environmental Delegated Act (EU) 2023/2486. This activity supports objectives such as circular economy transition, pollution prevention and control, and the sustainable use of resources.
The Commission also clarified that retreaded tyres in categories M and N are exempt from compliance with the most stringent external rolling noise and rolling resistance requirements referenced in Regulation (EU) 2020/740, where such data is not applicable or available. The exemption applies under the “Do No Significant Harm” (DNSH) criterion related to pollution prevention.
Importantly, while retreaded tyres are not explicitly listed under the transport activities in the Climate Delegated Act (chapter 6), this does not preclude their inclusion in the Environmental Delegated Act. As both Acts pursue separate environmental goals, compliance with one is sufficient for eligibility under the EU Taxonomy.
“This is a decisive step for the retreading industry and for Europe’s circular economy,” said Michael Schwämmlein, Technical Secretary of BIPAVER. “Retreading conserves raw materials, reduces waste, and cuts CO₂ emissions. With this regulatory clarity, fleet operators and public authorities can confidently integrate retreaded tyres into their sustainability programmes.”
While the Commission notes that only the Court of Justice of the European Union may provide definitive legal interpretation, the confirmation from Commission services provides an authoritative basis for industry stakeholders to act.
BIPAVER encourages all actors in the transport and mobility ecosystem—fleet managers, procurement agencies, and manufacturers—to adopt retreaded tyres as a core component of their environmental strategies.
