Team Europe skipper Thomas Bjorn will get an extra captain's pick for the Ryder Cup next year.
He will now have four wildcards for the clash with the USA in Paris in 2018, up one pick from the three used by recent Ryder Cup captains.
Europe are aiming to regain the Ryder Cup, which they lost to the USA at Hazeltine last year.
It means the 12-man European Team for the 2018 Ryder Cup will be made up of the first four players from the European Points List, then the leading four players from the World Points List and finally the four wild cards.
There will also be more qualification points up for grabs as the competition gets closer, with the European Tour aiming to favour golfers in form.
The Rolex Series has also been given more importance.
No Ryder Cup qualification points will be available from tournaments staged anywhere in the world played in the same week as these events in both 2017 and 2018.
USA won the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine last year.
The European Tour have also announced changes to its membership regulations for 2018.
Players will now only be required to compete in a minimum of four European Tour sanctioned tournaments outside the Major Championships and World Golf Championships next season.
“The change to our minimum tournament requirement will help many of our members who play around the world but who, at the same time, wish to remain loyal to The European Tour”, said Chief Executive of the European Tour Keith Pelley.
Bjørn is very happy with the moves from the European Tour.
“I am delighted that the Tournament Committee passed these regulations which I believe will considerably benefit the European Ryder Cup team in 2018 without compromising the strength or importance of the European Tour.
“In my role as chairman of the Tournament Committee for the past ten years and now as Ryder Cup Captain, I fully appreciate the need to balance both of these essential elements, and I think we have managed to do that.
“Part of the reason for my appointment last month was to, as soon as possible, begin the process required to regain The Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in 2018, and these changes are the first step on that journey. Hopefully they will help me have the 12 best European players available in 20 months’ time.
