Their concern stems from a European Commission investigation of Chinese plywood imports to Europe, started following a complaint by the European Federation of the Plywood Industry (FEIC).
FEIC argues that the current duties on Chinese okoumé-faced poplar plywood should be extended to other Chines plywood products with different face veneers, such as bitangor, red canarium and kedondong.
All interested parties must make their objections known by January 9.
Chris Williams of Panda Panels Agencies Ltd said widening the duties would be “unfair” and accused the European plywood manufacturing industry of “sour grapes”. He said Chinese plywood was competing mainly with Brazilian and Far Eastern plywood, rather than European products.
More on this story will appear in the January 6 edition of TTJ.