The European Parquet Federation (FEP) has welcomed the imposition of definitive anti-dumping duties on imports of parquet from China with retroactive effect.
FEP described Chinese multilayer parquet imports as “unfair”, following the conclusion of an investigation by the European Commission (EC). The duties range from 21.3% to 36.1% and will remain in place for at least the next five years.
They result from a complaint lodged by FEP on behalf of major EU producers from most EU Member States where parquet is produced.
“The imposition of duties is a much-necessary step to level the playing field in the EU market given the unfairly low prices of Chinese parquet imports, which are only possible through significant overcapacities and structural distortions which were found to exist in the Chinese market,” said a FEP statement.
The EC’s Investigation revealed that there was a substantial increase in import volumes following the initiation of the Investigation. Specifically, the EC found that parquet from China was imported at significantly higher quantities and lower prices before provisional duties entered into force.
The decision to impose retroactive duties, said FEP, remedied the “significant stockpiling of unfair Chinese imports that resulted in additional unfair economic damage to the EU parquet industry as the Investigation was running its course”.
The EC introduced a special monitoring clause to minimise circumvention risks. In particular, the EC will be regularly monitoring imports of parquet from all third countries to minimise risks of transshipment and identify early signs of changes of the pattern of trade without economic justification. It will also monitor imports of other similar products such as blockboard to guard against potential product misclassification.
“FEP is confident that these duties will help to restore a level-playing field in the EU market going forward but also retroactively, as correctly determined by the European Commission,” said FEP Managing Director, Isabelle Brose.
