PRESS RELEASE

Expiry Review of anti-dumping duties on ceramic tiles from China

14 September 2016, Brussels – The European Commission published yesterday the Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the anti-dumping measures on imports of ceramic tiles from China. If anti-dumping duties are not renewed for another 5-year period the employment and competitiveness of the EU ceramic tiles industry will be at risk. 

The expiry review request was submitted in June 2016 by CET, the European Ceramic Tile Manufacturers’ Federation. CET represents 90% of the EU’s ceramic tiles industry, which is manufacturing in 25 EU Member States, generates revenue of € 10 billion, and employs directly more than 60,000 employees in the EU while is supports another 150,000 indirect jobs.

Prior to the imposition of anti-dumping measures in 2011, the EU ceramic tiles industry suffered material injury from unfair trading practices and dumped imports from China. As a result of the imposition of the anti-dumping measures in 2011, imports from China decreased and the industry was able to compete more fairly with Chinese imports.  Although the 2011 measures helped the EU industry to partially recover, maintain jobs and renew much needed investment in the EU, it remains in a fragile state.

However, substantially increased ceramic tile overcapacity in China and significant ongoing dumping practices in the EU and in other countries, create an environment of continuation of dumping and imminent threat of recurrence of injury to the EU industry. Production capacity in China increased by nearly 30% since 2011, from 10.8 billion sq.m/year to approximately 14 billion sq.m/year. The currently unutilized capacity in China exceeds by 4 times the entirety of EU-28 consumption. It is no surprise that most of the key export markets for China have already adopted or are in the process of adopting trade defence measures on imports of ceramic tiles from China.

Dumping practices of Chinese exporting producers still apply and will significantly increase if anti-dumping duties are not renewed for another 5-year period. Should China gain more EU market share and depress prices, it would cause further and irreparable damage to the fragile EU ceramic tiles industry. It is therefore essential for the EU to establish a level playing field and send a strong signal to European ceramic tiles’ manufacturers that they will be able to compete fairly with imports.

For more information contact Mayssa Vande Vyvre (Communications & Events Officer) at: vandevyvre@cerameunie.eu.