EC on track with Chinese TBR investigations

Brussels – The European Commission expects to “conclude on” the imposition of definitive countervailing measures on Chinese truck and bus tires (TBRs) by mid-November, together with definitive measures on dumping.

In the meantime, though, the EC has decided not to impose provisional countervailing anti-subsidy duties on new and retreaded truck and bus tires originating in China,

In a 13 July summary of its investigations to date, the EC said it had “provisionally established that the Chinese imports of the product concerned into the Union are subsidised,” and that the EU industry was “in an injurious situation.”

However, the EC added that it was unable to finish all of its investigations concerning certain subsidies and subsidy programmes in China.

Therefore, the Commission said. it would “continue the investigation without the imposition of provisional measures and invites parties to make their views known on the facts and considerations described above.”

As in its anti-dumping investigations, the basic anti-subsidy regulation allows the Commission to impose provisional countervailing duties for a maximum duration of four months, the EC explains.

However, it adds, in the context of combined anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations, current practice is to only impose provisional anti-dumping measures and to await for the definitive stage to impose the countervailing duties.

This reflects the specific nature of anti-subsidy investigations and a preference to avoid possible overlaps in the anti-dumping and countervailing measures.

The Commission’s summary updates its Chinese TBR proceedings, following the imposition of provisional anti-dumping measure in May.

The findings, it said, “reveal the existence of a very significant level of subsidies for some of the investigated companies, therefore confirming the allegations of the complainants.”

The Commission said “it expects to conclude on the imposition of definitive countervailing measures at the latest mid-November together with the definitive measures on dumping.

“In the meantime, the registration of the imports for a possible retroactive imposition of countervailing duties remains into force.”