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Anti-dumping investigation into Chinese rolled products

On 14 August, the EU Commission opened an anti-dumping investigation into certain aluminium flat rolled products from China.

On 14 August, the EU Commission opened an anti-dumping investigation into certain aluminium flat rolled products from China.

With this investigation, the EU Commission follows a complaint by the European Aluminium association about unfairly priced Chinese imports.

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“In February this year, the EU already opened an anti-dumping investigation into aluminium extrusions originating from China. With this new investigation into aluminium flat rolled products, the largest share of the aluminium imports is under scrutiny,” says Gerd Götz, director general of European Aluminium. “It’s obvious that Chinese firms aren’t respecting the global rules of free and fair trade and the numbers show they are dumping more and more products on our market. The volumes of excess capacity they have built up are so massive, they could replace the entire European aluminium production,” he continued.

Flat rolled aluminium imports from China in the EU included in the scope of the investigation increased from 171,000 tin 2016 to 330,000 tlast year. In 2019, the market share of these imports from China reached more than 12 % and had doubled compared to four years ago, according to European Aluminium.

Subsidized aluminium production in China undermines European production, distorts global markets and depresses global aluminium prices, threatening the competitiveness of the European aluminium industry while undermining its sustainability ambitions. Furthermore, the influx of dumped products to Europe jeopardizes European investments in decarbonisation and recycling, the industry association stresses.

<strong>European Aluminium

“We commend the European Commission for opening the investigation, which, together with the ongoing extrusions case, will help ensure the survival of the European aluminium value chain. The EU has given China too much leeway already and still largely remains unprotected against dumped Chinese aluminium products. Now the EU must act decisively and rapidly to ensure the survival of the European aluminium value chain, which is critical to low carbon applications including renewable energy, batteries, electricity systems, resource-efficient packaging, energy-efficient buildings, and clean mobility,” concludes Götz.

The products subject to this investigation are flat rolled aluminium products, whether or not alloyed, whether or not further worked than flat rolled, of a thickness from 0.03 mm to more than 6 mm. The material can be delivered in the form of sheet, coils, coiled strip, circles or plates. Excluded are beverage canstock, body panels for the automotive industry and aluminium used in the manufacture of aircraft parts.

The main applications of the products concerned are the building and construction sector, foil sector, technical applications, transport sector and consumer durables.

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