Brussels, 27/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - From 28 June, Beijing will impose anti-dumping duties of 36.9% on European exports of toluidine. The German manufacturer is half spared.
On 27 June, the Chinese Ministry of Trade announced that anti-dumping duties would be imposed from the following day on a chemical coming from the EU - toluidine (which is used in the production of dyes, medicines and pesticides). After an investigation, Beijing concluded that EU exporters sell toluidine at a loss, causing “considerable damage” to the Chinese industry.
These customs duties - which in principle will be applied for five years - will rise to 36.9% for all European manufacturers except one - Lanxess of Germany. Lanxess will only have a punitive tax of 19.6%. Although the Chinese authorities do not state the reason for this double standards treatment, the ambiguity of their decision is puzzling. Since, in practice, the German manufacturer charges prices a little higher than average, sources from the European chemical industry - quoted by French daily newspaper Le Monde - see in this the “political favouritism” of Beijing with regard to Germany. Germany is against the plan of European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht to impose provisional anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar panels.
The European Commission's decision at the beginning of June to impose heavy duties on Chinese solar panels, and its decision at the end of May to investigate the unfair practices from which Chinese telecoms equipment makers Huawei and ZTE benefit, have led to the start of a trade war with China. In response to the Commission's announcements, Beijing has announced several anti-dumping procedures against the EU, including one on wine. (EH/transl.fl)