Large shipments of Chinese parquetry entering the EU are now subject to a 42.3-to-49.2% (provisional) anti-dumping duty after an investigation found vast volumes of multilayered wood flooring were being dumped into European markets.
“The product involved has the EU CN (Combined Nomenclature) code HS 4418 7500 but does not include bamboo panels or panels with at least a layer of bamboo (wear resistant layer) and flooring with Mosaic panels,” according to the most recent International Tropical Timber Organisation’s (ITTO) Market Report.
This came into effect on January 15th after a complaint was filed by the European Parquet Federation (FEP) on behalf of producers from EU Member States where parquet is produced. According to the FEP, “these measures are expected to provide much-needed relief to the EU parquet industry,” which has suffered the “injurious effects of Chinese imports for several years.”
Already, imports of Chinese products have been subject to customs registration since October with a view to the application of anti-dumping measures with retroactive effects: “The levels of the provisional duties provide the necessary relief to an industry which has been suffering the severe effects of unfair imports from China,” said FEP managing director Isabelle Brose.
“The levels of the provisional duties are sensible and appropriate as they reflect significant price differences resulting from massive overcapacities and market distortions in the Chinese industry.”
At the same time that the EU is putting tariffs on imports, Beijing, through its Tariff Adjustment Plan, is lowering tariffs on hundreds of different products – including wood and bamboo charcoal, veneer, wood floor, fibreboard, plywood, doors and pallets entering Chinese supply chains: “Provisional import tariffs lower than the most-favoured-nation rates will be applied to 935 commodities as part of the annual tariff adjustment plan,” the ITTO said.
In November, Wood Central revealed that European timber manufacturers were being squeezed out by non-European competitors (namely Chinese) with the edge on labour and production costs—including the European parquetry market. Global Wood Markets Info reported that consumption grew slower in 2024, “reflecting subdued construction and increased pressure from Chinese imports.”
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