Widening of anti-dumping duties on Chinese plywood imports to the UK looks very unlikely to happen, following publication of a lettter published by the European Commission.
The letter, from the commission’s directorate-general for trade, says a request by the European Federation of the Plywood Industry (FEIC) for a possible widening of duties on Chinese okoumé-faced plywood had been withdrawn.
The partial interim review of the duties, which basically involved considering extending duties to other Chinese plywood products with different face veneers, may now be “terminated”, the commission says, unless such termination would not be in the European Community interest.
“Until now, the proceeding [partial interim review] has not brought to light any considerations to show that termination would not be in the Community interest,” the letter says.
However, interested parties do have until January 7 to make their views known, with all views to be “taken into consideration” by the Commission.
FEIC had originally argued that current duties of up to 66% on Chinese okoumé-faced poplar plywood should be extended to products with bintangor, red canarium, kedondong and other face veneers.
The Timber Trade Federation’s head of technical & trade policy Nick Boulton welcomed the clarification from the Commission, which he said would lift the uncertainty hovering over the UK plywood sector.
“Buyers have not been placing orders because they were frightened they could be hit with additional duties,” he said. “Now that there is no case to answer, that will get rid of the uncertainty.”
Mr Boulton said he expected plywood orders to pick up now.
