The European Commission has started an anti-dumping investigation into hardwood plywood imports originating from China.
The decision follows consideration of a complaint made by the Greenwood Consortium of EU plywood manufacturers.
An EC statement announcing the action on October 11 said it had seen sufficient evidence to justify an investigation – which will determine whether the product in question is being dumped and whether the dumped imports, have caused injury to the EU plywood industry.
The investigation of dumping and injury will cover the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024, examining relevant trends from 1 January 2021 to the end of the investigation period.
Plywood consisting solely of sheets of wood other than bamboo and okoumé, each ply not exceeding 6 mm thickness, with at least one outer ply of tropical wood or non-coniferous wood, of species specified under subheadings 4412 31, 4412 33 and 4412 34, whether or not coated or surface covered.
Due to the large number of hardwood plywood exporters in China, the Commission may limit the investigation to a sample of producers.
The Commission has invited all producers in the country to provide information on the materials (raw and processed) and energy used in the production of the product under investigation by October 26.
Furthermore, any submissions of factual information to value costs and prices must be filed by a deadline during December.
Unrelated EU importers of the product under investigation are invited to participate in this investigation.
“A determination of injury is based on positive evidence and involves an objective examination of the volume of the dumped imports, their effect on prices on the European Union market and the consequent impact of those imports on the EU industry,” the statement read.
The Commission intends to instruct customs authorities to register imports of hardwood plywood, originating in the People’s Republic of China, at an early stage of this investigation in order to facilitate the eventual decision to collect duties on registered imports.
The Greenwood Consortium lodged its original complaint on August 27, alleging that the Chinese hardwood plywood undercut and undersold the EU plywood industry’s prices by notable margins.
It says a worsening trend for EU producers was recorded since 2021, impacting production and installed capacity, sales, employment, investments and profitability.
“In particular, concerning profitability, the Union industry has been pressured by the dumped imports from China, as it has been unable to raise prices to the same extent as the costs because of the downward pressure caused by dumped imports from China,” it says.
To view the official EC document announcing the investigation visit: https://shorturl.at/1csWo
