Brussels, 18/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - EU Pro Sun, the association representing the European solar industry, welcomes the decision taken by the US on Tuesday 16 December in response to a request from its national solar industry to set up customs duties of over 50% on solar panels from China, and of over 20% on the same products from Taiwan.
“The previous [US] anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar cells and modules were avoided and circumvented by government-funded Chinese solar manufacturers on a massive scale. These underhand tactics should now be stopped with the new tariffs”, said EU Pro Sun in a press release on Wednesday 17 December. This decision, which still has to obtain the approval of the US international trade commission at the end of January 2015, “sends a strong signal to China against dumping and unfair competition”, Pro Sun states, believing that “Europe should follow the example of the United States”. “EU anti-dumping measures apply here but Chinese companies are openly violating WTO and EU trade laws by avoiding paying customs duties and breaking the minimum import price agreement. While the US acts decisively, the European Commission just watches as more and more European solar manufacturers are forced into bankruptcy”, Pro Sun insists.
In June, EU Pro Sun submitted a document to the European Commission containing over 1,500 proposals from Chinese solar companies offering prices below the minimum level set as part of an agreement by the Commission and Chinese government in summer 2013. This gentlemen's agreement depends 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 who have committed to respecting a minimum price of 56 cents do not pay anti-dumping duties. The other Chinese manufacturers who refuse to participate in this agreement must pay anti-dumping duties of 47.6% (see EUROPE 10902). (EH)