The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that starting Tuesday (December 23), a provisional countervailing duty deposit of 21.9% to 42.7% will be imposed on certain dairy products imported from the European Union. The EU criticized Beijing's actions as "unreasonable."
According to Agence France-Presse, European Commission trade spokesperson Gilles said: "Our assessment shows that the authorities conducted investigations based on questionable allegations and insufficient evidence. The measures taken are unreasonable and groundless."
According to Agence France-Presse, European Commission trade spokesperson Gilles said: "Our assessment shows that the authorities conducted investigations based on questionable allegations and insufficient evidence. The measures taken are unreasonable and groundless."
He said that after Beijing launched a countervailing investigation into EU dairy imports, the European Commission lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization and will evaluate the latest measures in accordance with WTO rules.
Gilles said: "We will make every effort to safeguard the interests of EU farmers and exporters and respond to China's unfair use of trade protection instruments."
He stated that the provisional countervailing measures imposed by China have a "very negative impact" on China-EU relations.
The EU dairy industry also criticized Beijing's decision, with the French Dairy Industry Federation describing it as a "shocking move."
The spokesman for the German Dairy Industry Association said that this is a "heavy blow" to affected companies and called on all parties not to "inappropriately drag dairy products into disputes unrelated to trade."
Official EU Commission data shows that last year, EU countries exported more than 1.6 billion euros (2.4 billion Singapore dollars) worth of dairy products to China, down from just over 2 billion euros in 2022.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced on its official website on Monday (22nd) that the investigative authority had preliminarily determined that dairy products imported from the EU were subsidized, causing substantial harm to the relevant domestic dairy industry in China, and there was a causal link between the subsidies and the material damage.
The announcement stated that from Tuesday, China would impose provisional countervailing measures in the form of a countervailing duty deposit on relevant dairy products originating from the EU. The associated countervailing investigation has been ongoing for more than a year.
Previously, last Tuesday (16th), Beijing announced that from the 17th, a 4.9% to 19.8% anti-dumping duty would be imposed on EU pork imports for five years, significantly lower than the provisional rate of 15.6% to 62.4% implemented in September.
Gilles said: "We will make every effort to safeguard the interests of EU farmers and exporters and respond to China's unfair use of trade protection instruments."
He stated that the provisional countervailing measures imposed by China have a "very negative impact" on China-EU relations.
The EU dairy industry also criticized Beijing's decision, with the French Dairy Industry Federation describing it as a "shocking move."
The spokesman for the German Dairy Industry Association said that this is a "heavy blow" to affected companies and called on all parties not to "inappropriately drag dairy products into disputes unrelated to trade."
Official EU Commission data shows that last year, EU countries exported more than 1.6 billion euros (2.4 billion Singapore dollars) worth of dairy products to China, down from just over 2 billion euros in 2022.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced on its official website on Monday (22nd) that the investigative authority had preliminarily determined that dairy products imported from the EU were subsidized, causing substantial harm to the relevant domestic dairy industry in China, and there was a causal link between the subsidies and the material damage.
The announcement stated that from Tuesday, China would impose provisional countervailing measures in the form of a countervailing duty deposit on relevant dairy products originating from the EU. The associated countervailing investigation has been ongoing for more than a year.
Previously, last Tuesday (16th), Beijing announced that from the 17th, a 4.9% to 19.8% anti-dumping duty would be imposed on EU pork imports for five years, significantly lower than the provisional rate of 15.6% to 62.4% implemented in September.