On December 20, local time, the European Union issued a statement announcing that it would launch an anti-dumping investigation on biodiesel imports from China. EU industry says biodiesel production within Europe has been slashed.
Reuters reported that in August this year, the European Union began investigating whether biodiesel from Indonesia circumvented EU tariffs through China and the United Kingdom. The latest investigation was initiated by a complaint from the European Biodiesel Commission (EBB), the European Union producers' organisation, and will cover transactions from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023. It is reported that the investigation will last up to 14 months, and it is possible that temporary tariffs will be imposed within 8 months.
"EU producers have submitted evidence that biodiesel imports from China have entered the EU at artificially low ** imports that have severely damaged their industry because they cannot compete with such low **," the European Commission claimed in a statement. ”
Data map: Biodiesel application vehicles.
In a separate statement, the EBB said that by 2023, China had been the largest exporter of biodiesel to the EU's 27 member states.
In 2023, China's dumping of imports led to a market collapse, with production bases in several member countries closed. The EBB statement also asserts that there is a so-called "structural imbalance" between EU and Chinese biodiesel** in addition to the possible transit of Indonesian biodiesel, which does not reflect the fact that most cargoes are classified as premium or waste-based biofuels.
Biodiesel is a biodiesel that is considered environmentally friendly to be prepared from unprocessed or used vegetable oil and animal fat through different chemical reactions. This biofuel can be used like diesel, and is a typical "green energy", with good environmental performance, good engine starting performance, good fuel performance, wide range of raw materials, renewable and other characteristics.
Reuters also pointed out that biodiesel is one of the alternative fuels that are being promoted to reduce carbon emissions from transportation. According to the European Commission, the sector, worth 31 billion euros a year, has long been the subject of frequent disputes with its partners. Biodiesel can be made from palm oil, and goods from Indonesia have been restricted by measures taken by the European Union due to restrictions on the import of deforestation-related goods.
The report also mentioned that there is more than one dispute between the EU and China. In September this year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen insisted on announcing a countervailing investigation into Chinese electric vehicles despite a large number of opposition from the European automotive industry, which caused an uproar, and China expressed great concern and strong dissatisfaction.
On September 24, China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao held talks with the Executive Vice President of the European Commission and EU Commissioner Dombrovskis in Beijing, focusing on the EU's launch of a countervailing investigation into China's electric vehicles. Wang Wentao said that the rapid development of China's electric vehicles relies on R&D innovation, free competition and a complete industrial system. The proposed countervailing investigation by the EU is a protectionist act, which will affect China-EU green cooperation and the stability of the global automotive industry chain. It is hoped that the EU and China will carry out dialogue and consultation, strictly abide by the relevant WTO rules, and properly resolve the friction in a non-politicized and non-discriminatory manner.
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