The Association of the German Flooring Industry (VDP) supports the recent regulation (EU) 2024/2733 adopted by the European Commission, which mandates the registration of multilayer wood floor imports from China. This measure marks an important first step in the ongoing anti-dumping investigation against Chinese manufacturers, whose heavily undervalued exports significantly disadvantage the European flooring industry.
Photo: Dreamstime.
'The European Commission's decision sends a clear message against unfair trade practices and strengthens the competitiveness of our domestic flooring manufacturers,' states VDP Chairman Michael Schmid. 'We expect this measure to impact the pricing of Chinese dumping suppliers immediately. The registration requirement allows the EU to impose retroactive tariffs on imports if dumping by Chinese exporters is confirmed during the investigation. The Commission is expected to announce the level of preliminary anti-dumping duties by mid-November, which will take effect in mid-December and last for six months.'
The initiation of this procedure followed a complaint from the European Flooring Industry Federation (FEP), highlighting dumping margins between 60% and 160%. The European flooring industry has faced severe price and revenue pressures due to these unfair practices, jeopardising sustainable development and investment. The current measures apply to multilayer wood products but exclude bamboo and mosaic panels.
The VDP views this measure as an opportunity to secure sustainable wood processing in Europe and promote demand for high-quality, locally produced products. 'We believe that the EU's decision will not only stabilise the European flooring industry in the long term but also preserve local jobs and encourage environmentally friendly production methods,' concluded Michael Schmid.
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