EU Will Review Polyethylene Terephthalate Anti-dumping Duties Against Several Asian Countries

The European Commission is to review whether or not to continue anti-dumping duties for polyethylene terephthalate resin coming to the European Union from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand, according to the Official Journal of the European Union on Feb. 24, 2012.

The anti-dumping measures currently in force for those countries mentioned above were scheduled to expire on Feb. 28, five years after the definitive measures came in to force in 2007.

On November 25, 2011, the PET committee of Plastics Europe requested an expiry review, according to the EU journal.

"The applicant has provided evidence that should the measures be allowed to lapse, the current import level of the product under review is likely to increase due to the existence of unused capacity in the countries concerned," the EC wrote.

European sources have reported over the past week that indeed, European buyers of PET resin would have a wider choice of imports if the anti-dumping duties do expire.

One trader said before the anti-dumping regulations came into force, he used to bring PET resin from Indonesia to Europe. A PET converter said while he didn't expect the expiration would have an immediate impact on PET supply in Europe, it would give converters more options to choose from in the medium term.

Current anti-dumping rates vary from country to country and are different for specific producers. For example, in India, anti-dumping rates to bring PET resin into the European Union are from Eur87.50-200.90/mt, while in Malaysia, the anti-dumping rates range from Eur36-160.10/mt.

Anti-dumping measures on PET resin coming from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan have been in place since November 27, 2000, with an expiry review announced in 2005 and a continuation of the anti-dumping dumping published on Febuary 27, 2007 for a five year period.