Ceramic tableware: the EU renews duties on Chinese imports

EU antidumping duties on Chinese ceramic tableware imports have been renewed for another five years.

Confindustria Ceramica, together with the European Federation for Ceramic Table and Ornamentalware (FEPF) where it represents Italian companies in the sector, has welcomed the adoption of EU regulation 2019/1198 extending the definitive antidumping duties on imports of ceramic and porcelain tableware articles from China for a further five years.

Following the request for review made by the FEPF in the months preceding expiry of the duties, the investigation conducted by the European Commission concluded by confirming that there is a clear risk of a reoccurrence of dumping, aggravated by persistent and significant market distortions on the part of Chinese companies in the sector. The positions of the Commission were subsequently confirmed by the Antidumping Committee consisting of representatives of the Member States, who in the session held on 12 June voted by a large majority to renew the duties.

The Commission’s investigation also confirmed the growth and enormous scale of China’s unused production capacity, which is equivalent to several times the total consumption of the EU. Added to this is the fact that most of the Chinese industry’s export markets have already introduced or are in the process of introducing antidumping measures on these imports, a development that will create a serious risk of Chinese goods being redirected towards the European market.

The share of the EU market held by Chinese imports is currently stable at more than 56% (after reaching 67% prior to the introduction of duties in 2012), while that of the European industry - which employs more than 26,000 people - stands at just 30%.