Has action begun? The EU 'provokes' China—starting with plastics

Starting next week, the EU will impose provisional tariffs of 6.6% to 24.2% on imports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a material widely used in plastic bottle production. This measure follows an investigation launched by the EU in March, which alleges that PET products imported from China are 'flooding Europe', causing European producers to cut prices and suffer 'imminent injury'. Customs data show that China’s non-cellular PET exports to the EU surged 43.7% year-on-year in the first ten months of this year, reaching USD 114 million. Clearly, the EU’s justification is untenable—in fact, it constitutes trade protectionism. On one hand, PET production capacity in Europe is limited; on the other, wartime conditions have inevitably driven up production costs there, making them higher than China’s. This also reflects growing hostility within the EU. For instance, former EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht claimed that after years of trade with China, the EU has 'lost out'—citing widening trade deficits and the perception that 'all the money flows to China'. Notably, De Gucht was also behind the 2013 anti-subsidy investigation into China’s solar panel industry. Some politicians even argue that while China’s economy is recovering, domestic consumption remains weak—leading Chinese consumers to buy more domestically produced goods and fewer EU products—a situation they deem 'unfair'. It is evident that numerous voices within the EU now seek confrontation with China, as seen recently in the high-profile investigation into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). The rationale is identical: rising Chinese EV imports are allegedly squeezing out EU-made vehicles, prompting scrutiny for possible dumping. Ironically, this appears to dovetail with U.S. interests: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has long claimed Chinese EV overcapacity—yet U.S. sales of such vehicles are thriving. Reports indicate that the President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China believes China can produce 50 million vehicles annually, while domestic demand stands at only 23 million.

April 2024 Customs Memorandum

Effective April 20, 2024, anti-dumping duties will be imposed for five years on polycarbonate (PC) imported from Taiwan. On April 19, China’s Ministry of Commerce issued Announcement No. 13, 'Final Determination on the Anti-Dumping Investigation Concerning Polycarbonate Originating in the Taiwan Region'. Based on the final determination of the anti-dumping investigation initiated on November 30, 2022, the Ministry recommended to the Tariff Commission of the State Council the imposition of anti-dumping duties. Acting upon this recommendation, the Tariff Commission decided that, effective April 20, 2024, anti-dumping duties will be levied for five years at rates ranging from 9% to 22.4%. Effective April 20, 2024, provisional anti-dumping measures will be applied in the form of cash deposits on propionic acid (PA) imported from the United States. On April 19, China’s Ministry of Commerce issued Announcement No. 15 of 2024, 'Preliminary Determination on the Anti-Dumping Investigation Concerning Propionic Acid Originating in the United States'. Based on the preliminary findings of the anti-dumping investigation initiated on July 21, 2023, the Ministry determined that dumping exists, that the domestic propionic acid industry has suffered material injury, and that there is a causal link between the dumping and the injury. Accordingly, it decided to apply provisional anti-dumping measures in the form of cash deposits at a rate of 43.5%. The China–Ecuador Free Trade Agreement enters into force on May 1, 2024. On April 10, the Tariff Commission of the State Council issued Announcement No. 1, stipulating that, effective May 1, 2024, preferential tariff rates under the China–Ecuador Free Trade Agreement will apply to certain goods originating in Ecuador. Signed on May 11, 2023, this agreement is China’s 20th FTA and makes Ecuador China’s 27th FTA partner. Under its tariff reduction schedule, both sides will eliminate tariffs on 90% of tariff lines, with approximately 60% of those lines seeing immediate tariff elimination upon entry into force. On April 28, the General Administration of Customs issued Announcement No. 46, promulgating the Rules of Origin for Goods under the China–Ecuador FTA, effective May 1, 2024. Fourteenth round of exclusions from additional tariffs on U.S. goods. On April 29, the Tariff Commission of the State Council issued Announcement No. 3, deciding that, from May 1 to November 30, 2024, the additional tariffs imposed by China in response to U.S. Section 301 measures will continue to be waived for the goods listed in the announcement’s annex. Japan lowers RCEP import tariffs for the fourth time. Effective April 1, Japan reduced import tariffs on goods covered by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by 0.5 percentage points—the fourth such reduction under RCEP. The EU imposes five-year anti-dumping duties on PET products from China. On April 3, the EU Directorate-General for Trade announced that the European Commission had decided to impose anti-dumping duties on PET (polyethylene terephthalate) products from China, effective retroactively from November 27, 2023, for five years. The EU launches a subsidy investigation into Chinese wind turbines. On April 9, the EU announced an investigation into subsidies granted to Chinese wind turbine suppliers—the fourth case initiated under the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation against Chinese enterprises within the past two months. The United States launches a Section 301 investigation against China. On April 17, the United States announced a Section 301 investigation targeting China’s maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries. China expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this move. The United States plans new restrictions on Chinese steel and aluminum products.

EU Countries File Request to Curb PET Imports, Lawyers Say

15 hours ago

Five EU countries requested European Commission measures to curb PET imports, citing harm to domestic producers from a shipment surge. The Commission has 30 days to decide on potential safeguard measures or tariffs.

reuters

2026-10-14

EU Countries File Request to Curb PET Imports, Lawyers Say

EU Countries File Request to Curb PET Imports, Lawyers Say

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