The EU eases its ban on gasoline and diesel cars by 2035.
■ The European Commission released a comprehensive package for the automotive industry on December 16th, proposing to relax the requirements related to the 2035 "ban on the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles," adjusting the 2035 new car "zero-emission" target to "90% emission reduction." This will leave room for the sale of plug-in hybrid vehicles, range-extended electric vehicles, mild hybrid vehicles, and internal combustion engine vehicles.
■ In the second week of December, major global rubber futures markets generally rose, driven by short covering. The main contracts on the Osaka, Shanghai, and Singapore exchanges saw gains of 1.1%-2.7%. However, Shanghai Futures Exchange inventory surged by 12,300 tons in a single week to 105,500 tons, almost offsetting the seasonal inventory reduction in November. As the year-end holidays approach, market trading is expected to become lighter, and sentiment is likely to be cautious.
■ The European Rubber Trade Association (RTAE) report shows that TSR 20 natural rubber prices continued to fluctuate within a narrow range in November, with a price difference of approximately 10 euro cents/kg during the month. In terms of demand, the European automotive industry outlook is weak, while the US and Chinese markets are relatively healthy; China is committed to maintaining its position as a global export hub for automotive-related products.
■ The German Rubber Manufacturers Association (WDK) pointed out that although the country's waste tire recycling rate is nearly 70%, there is still huge untapped potential. It suggested using a risk-based chemical assessment method to unlock the market for recycled materials and called for strengthened policy regulation to comprehensively track the flow of waste tires and prevent resource loss overseas.
■ During the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) organized a thematic side event emphasizing the crucial role of smallholder rubber farmers in achieving global net-zero targets. It called for supporting their livelihoods through financial support, technological empowerment, and market access, and pointed out that public-private partnerships and regenerative agricultural practices are important pathways to promote the sustainable transformation of the rubber supply chain.
■ The German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) released a report stating that the European chemical industry will continue to face pressure in 2025, with chemical production decreasing by 2.5%, sales decreasing by 3%, and capacity utilization reaching a historical low of only 70%. The association attributed the industry's weakness to factors such as high costs and regulatory uncertainty, and called for policy coordination between Europe and the US, focusing on six priority areas to restore industry competitiveness.
■ The Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) designated 2025 as a "milestone year," with the core achievement being the launch of a risk-based assurance system to drive continuous improvement in the industry through clear standards and independent verification; and the operation of a shared investment mechanism to equitably support upstream capacity building. The platform emphasized the critical role of collective action in achieving sustainability and plans to focus on supporting the implementation of the system in 2026.