The European Commission has announced the imposition of anti-dumping duties on birch plywood imported from Kazakhstan and Turkey. The decision, effective from May 14, 2024, introduces a 15.8% duty on these imports, following an investigation into illegal smuggling practices.
The investigation, which began on August 22, 2023, was prompted by the Woodstock Consortium. It revealed that Russian birch plywood was being smuggled into the EU through Kazakhstan and Turkey to circumvent existing tariffs.
The findings from the investigation will lead to coordinated efforts with national authorities and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to address potential customs fraud, non-compliance with the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), and large-scale sanctions evasion.
Regulation 2024/1287, which took effect immediately on May 14, 2024, also mandates the payment of retroactive duties for imports since August 22, 2023. The total back duties are expected to exceed 10 million euros.
Before the invasion of Ukraine, the EU had already increased import duties on Russian birch plywood by 15.8% to combat dumping practices. However, evidence showed that some sellers were avoiding these duties by rerouting products through third countries. Woodstock, in collaboration with EU leaders and industry associations, provided compelling evidence of this circumvention, leading to the Commission's investigation and the subsequent regulation.
Source: biznes.meble.pl