On Friday 31 July, the European Commission launched two partial interim reviews of the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures applied to biodiesel imports from the United States, as these duties are due to expire soon.
US producers Diamond Green Diesel and Valero are seeking the exclusion of certain types of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from the scope of the measures. At the same time, European industry is arguing for those measures to be renewed after they expire.
The two US companies submitted a review request so that certain types of sustainable aviation fuel would no longer be subject to the duties currently applied to US biodiesel. They claim that these types of SAF constitute a product distinct from the biodiesel covered by the trade defence measures, because of their characteristics, production processes and different uses.
According to Diamond Green Diesel and Valero, maintaining these duties on these types of SAF would also run counter to the European Union’s climate objectives, by increasing costs for airlines. They also say that European production alone will not be able to meet future needs, because of constraints on raw materials and a slowdown in investment.
The Commission considers that the arguments put forward justify opening an investigation. Interested parties have 37 days from the publication of the notices to submit their observations. The reviews must be concluded within 12 months, and no later than 15 months after their opening.
At the same time, the Commission opened two reviews in view of the imminent expiry of the trade measures, following a request from the European Biodiesel Board (EBB). The European association considers that the dumping practices and subsidies identified during the initial investigations are continuing and that removing the duties would risk causing renewed injury to European producers of sustainable fuels.
The two investigations will cover the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 and will have to determine whether the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures should be extended. It remains to be seen whether the European Commission will decide to exempt certain types of US fuel from these new measures.
To see the notices of initiation: https://aeur.eu/f/n2y ; https://aeur.eu/f/n2z ; https://aeur.eu/f/n30 ; https://aeur.eu/f/n31 (Original version in French by Juliette Verdes)