Trade defence | Brussels, 12 December 2019

Today, the European Commission sanctioned Chinese exporters of table- and kitchenware involved in circumventing EU anti-dumping measures by doubling the duty rate applicable to them.

The decision follows a thorough investigation launched by the Commission on its own initiative (ex officio) in March this year, given a sharp rise in exports of some Chinese companies over the past five years (2014-2018).

The investigation has confirmed that Chinese companies are evading anti-dumping duties of around 36% by channelling their ceramic exports through other companies that were subject to lower anti-dumping duties of around 18%.

The Chinese companies - more than 30 in total - found to have helped to circumvent the duties will as a result also be subject to the higher duty rate of around 36%.

The new duties will apply from 21 March 2019 onwards, with some €15 million in duties to be collected retroactively.

This is the Commission’s largest anti-circumvention investigation to date. It involved very significant resources, with 20 Commission investigators carrying out on spot verifications at 50 Chinese companies.

Background

The EU has been applying anti-dumping measures on imports of ceramic tableware and kitchenware from China since May 2013. In July 2019, the Commission decided to extend the measures for another five-year period, considering that the dumping practices continued.

The industry of tableware and kitchenware within the European Union is highly fragmented, about half of it consisting of a large number of SMEs. There are about 27 000 employees directly working in the sector, serving European customers with high-quality products. The European producers have a market share of around 30%, whereas the Chinese producers have a market share of more than 55% within the European Union. The today’s measures will help restoring a fair competition.

For more information

Regulation imposing anti-circumvention duties EU Trade defence policy