EUROPEAN ALUMINIUM PRODUCERS OPPOSE SUSPENSION OF ANTI-DUMPING DUTIES ANNOUNCED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION

European Aluminium, the voice of the European aluminium value chain has welcomed the final confirmation by the European Commission of the definitive anti-dumping duties needed to counteract the impact of Chinese dumping of flat rolled products on the EU market.

In this way, European Aluminium strongly opposes what it calls the %22contradictory 9-month suspension%22 of these duties officially announced this week by the European Commission. The Commission’s definitive findings in the anti-dumping investigation on certain aluminium flat-rolled products confirmed that China is injuriously dumping aluminium FRP on the EU market, causing material injury to the EU.

Precisely, the definitive anti-dumping duties are set between 14% and 25% in order to bring the dumped prices from China to market conform prices. However, the duties, which were approved by EU member states and were due to be implemented on 12 October 2021, have been suspended for 9 months. In view of this announcement, European Aluminium is prepared to pursue all available avenues to fight against what they describe as %22unjustified suspension of trade defence measures%22, which are long overdue.

They also add that this sets a dangerous precedent for trade defence cases in other sectors, the suspension sends the wrong signal to both international trading partners and China about the EU’s commitment to fight unfair trade practices.

Gerd Götz, CEO of European Aluminium said: %22The definitive anti-dumping duties imposed by the Commission are justified, balanced and long overdue. China has been dumping low-priced, carbon-intensive aluminium on our market for many years, jeopardising the long-term viability of our industry, while compromising the EU’s Green Deal ambitions%22.

However, Götz adds that %22the decision to suspend the rights is illogical and goes against the announced assertive trade defence policy. We urge the European Commission to reverse the suspension of duties and effectively use its trade defence tools to level the playing field for European aluminium producers for European aluminium producers%22.

It also stresses that such a suspension will have a devastating impact on the EU aluminium value chain, even beyond the suspension period. %22Tens of thousands of jobs and EU investments in decarbonisation and recycling are at risk. In addition to the long-term economic blow, the suspension will give carte blanche to high-carbon aluminium imports from China, while the European aluminium industry has proven to have sufficient capacity to supply Europe’s aluminium demand with more sustainable aluminium,%22 they add.

%22The suspension is the result of an inadequate and hasty 30-day investigation and contradicts the findings of the European Commission’s initial anti-dumping investigation, which confirmed the existence of material injury. We cannot accept that the EU should allow proven injury to European aluminium producers to continue on the basis of an unjustified suspension and we are exploring all available options to combat it,%22 concludes Götz.