EU requires registration of plywood imports from China in anti-dumping investigation

The European Commission has taken an important step to protect the European plywood industry by adopting Regulation (EU) 2024/3140 requiring the registration of imports of hardwood plywood from China. This follows a complaint lodged by the Greenwood Consortium, representing over 25% of European plywood manufacturers.

The Regulation covers plywood consisting solely of sheets of wood (except bamboo and okoumé), each ply not exceeding 6 mm thickness, with at least one outer ply of tropical wood or non-coniferous wood. The products affected are classified under the specific HS codes ex 4412 31, ex 4412 33 and ex 4412 34.

The anti-dumping investigation launched by the Commission has revealed worrying figures: for the period April 2023 to March 2024, the estimated dumping margins range from 89% to 335%, depending on the type of wood used. In addition, the level of injury to the European industry is estimated at 224%.

"This import registration measure is an essential tool to protect European producers against unfair trade practices," explain industry sources. If the investigation confirms dumping, anti-dumping duties could be applied retroactively to registered imports.

The Regulation will enter into force from the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the EU and will be valid for a period of nine months. This decision marks a crucial moment for the European plywood industry and underlines the EU's commitment to ensuring a level playing field.

For plywood producers and traders, this regulation means closer monitoring of imports and possible financial implications in the near future. We advise all industry players to closely follow the progress of this investigation and prepare for potential changes in market dynamics.