Brussels, 30/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 30 July, the European association of solar panel manufacturers, EU Pro Sun, criticised the European Commission's attitude in the dispute over Chinese solar panels one year on from the out-of-court settlement reached between the EU and China in the summer of 2013.
The US government decided on Friday 25 July to impose new anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures of nearly 50% on illegally subsidised and undervalued solar panels from China, but EU Pro Sun is outraged that the Commission has welcomed the proposals from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to lower the minimum EU import price of Chinese solar panels and to revise the 2013 deal in China's interest. EU Pro Sun explains: “An additional 20 EU manufacturers of solar products have filed for bankruptcy, sold or closed down their production following the EU-China solar undertaking last year. Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of Industry announced this month that a total of 161 solar companies will be subsidised by the State. The major part of the production of these companies is exported to the EU, wiping out jobs and factories here”.
Last summer's EU-China agreement is based on a price pledge that allows Chinese solar panel exporters to avoid heavy anti-dumping duty of nearly 50%. Under the agreement, 70% of Chinese solar panel manufacturers promised to respect a minimum price of 56 cents and were exempted from anti-dumping duty. The other Chinese solar panel manufacturers refused to sign and must pay anti-dumping duty of 47.6% (see EUROPE 10902).
At the start of June, EU Pro Sun submitted to the Commission a document containing more than 1,500 proposals from Chinese solar companies offering prices below the minimum level agreed by the European Commission and China. (EH)