EU Retailers Oppose Imposed Duties on Chinese Ceramics

 
The European Commission is wrong to impose provisional anti-dumping duties on imports of Chinese ceramic products into the European Union (EU), the European DIY Retail Association (EDRA) said on Nov. 8.

The European Commission was expected to start imposing provisional duties of at least 50 percent on Chinese ceramic imports on Nov. 16, Alisdair Gray, director of European Affairs of EDRA, said at a briefing in Brussels.

The Commission's decision was made in spite of a negative vote of the EU Anti-dumping Committee on Oct. 23, with 14 EU member states opposing, nine supporting, three abstaining and Germany asking for more time to make its decision.

In February 2012, the Commission opened an anti-dumping probe following a complaint about imports of ceramic tableware and kitchenware from China. The 15-month probe could result in the imposition of duties in two stages: provisional duties on Nov. 16, 2012 and definitive duties on May 16, 2013.

EDRA said in a statement that Europe's home improvement retailers had consistently opposed the proposed duties against Chinese ceramic products as the move would hit low-income families.

"As the Christmas sales commence, retailers will be hoping that enough countries have now come out against import taxes to kill them off for good," Gray said.

"A 58 percent duty would place many products out of reach of low-income families and will punish retailers already struggling to absorb energy bills, rents, rates and labor costs rising well above inflations," he said.

Gray called the Commission's plan to impose duties on Chinese ceramic products as "flawed," and being designed to "protect the interests of a few uncompetitive European producers at the expense of consumers and retailers."

"Protectionist measures are not the solution to Europe's economic problems. A more open marketplace and making European industry more competitive on the global stage is the only way out of the crisis," he added.

"We hope the opposition to these duties is an indication of a new determination among the majority of EU states to face down protectionism," Gray said.