Brussels, 05/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) announced n Monday 4 December that an illegal trade in energy saving lamps originating in China had been discovered in the EU. German Customs Authorities, the “Zollkriminalamt”, announced the recovery of €7 million in evaded import duties for the import of these Chinese lamps. According to OLAF, it is estimated that financial damage of up to €50 million has been caused to the EU taxpayer.
Energy saving lamps originating in China are liable for the payment of anti-dumping duties on importation to the EU - the current rate is up to 66.1%. The temptation to find ways of evading payment of this duty is, therefore, very strong: the lamps, manufactured in China, may be trans-shipped through a third country, which is not liable for any surcharges on goods sold in the EU; - Chinese producers have created new factories in third countries for the alleged production of energy saving lamps, when, in fact, they are merely assembled or trans-shipped: in both cases, they remain liable for the payment of anti-dumping duty; sometimes, certificates of origin are falsified; energy saving lamps have also been mis-declared to the Customs authorities in the Community as normal lamps, or the values have been reduced in order to avoid or reduce liability.
OLAF has carried out investigations on this illegal trade in several countries, such as Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand and Malaysia, and is currently investigating in other countries (Philippines, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and Tunisia). It points out that these investigations have already led to administrative and criminal proceedings to recover €30 million. Fraud like this damages the European energy saving lamp industry through unfair and, indeed, illegal competition. (lc)