New antidumping measures on Chinese tile imports to Europe

In a significant achievement for the Italian and European ceramic tile industries, the European Commission has approved the application of provisional duties ranging between 32% and 73% on Chinese ceramic tile imports sold in the EU-27 market. The antidumping measure was initiated with the publication of the proceedings on 19 June 2010 in the Official Journal of the European Commission and involves applying to the entire volume of Chinese ceramic tiles imported into Europe an average duty of 32% for Chinese exporters included in the investigated sample and 73% for exporters who did not cooperate. The share of the latter group is estimated at 50% of total Chinese imports into EU-27.

The measure is to be ratified by the European Council within six months of coming into effect and was needed in order to counter the alarming increase in Chinese tile imports. Investigations have shown that European ceramic tile consumption in 2009 totalled 1 billion square metres, with imported Chinese tiles accounting for 62 million square metres. In the first half of 2010, European consumption fell by 3% whereas imports of Chinese tiles soared by 25%.

 “The adopted measures are not intended to close off the European market to Chinese companies but to re-establish conditions of fair competition,” commented Confindustria Ceramica’s Chairman Franco Manfredini. CET Chairman Alfonso Panzani agreed, expressing the hope that the new measures will offer the European tile industry fresh potential for recovery.