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EU Probes Surge in Chinese Plywood Imports Linked to Russian Timber

Posted on October 24, 2024 |

The EU recently opened an anti-dumping investigation into plywood imports. The need for the move was brought about when the EU plywood producers sought to rein in surging cheap hardwood plywood deemed to be coming in from Russia but that came in through China.

The Greenwood Consortium, an organisation representing forest owners, loggers, and suppliers observed the significance with which the EU needs to take the investigation into the prices of plywood imports into the region to salvage the EU plywood industry.

Key Findings of the Probe

Relentless Imports

Chinese plywood imports have increased drastically, and the Greenwood Consortium filed a complaint late last August claiming that the imports were sold to undercut European companies.

Conflict Timber Concerns

Actually, the EU has banned Russian timber; however, Russia sold hardwood to China, which was later used to make the Chinese plywood coming into the EU market.

Impact on EU Plywood Producers

Other major producing countries of plywood for the EU come from Poland, Finland, the Baltic States, and France. Collectively, they maintain 10,000 industry jobs.

Tariff measures already in place

The EU has imposed anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on birch plywood imported from Kazakhstan as well as Turkey due to the presence of Russian content. The present investigation carried out by the Commission of the EU would determine whether the prices had been misrepresented which would have injured the producers of the EU, which has faced a sales decline because of such unfair practices.

Timeline and Registration of Imports

The study would take over 12 months. In the meantime, all imports of Chinese plywood will be registered at the EU borders so that when the tariffs come into effect and are applied retroactively, these may be ready.

Global Context

Aside from Morocco, the US and South Korea have already imposed tariffs on Chinese imported wood, and there is an international issue on price procedures and calls for action.

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