European Titanium Dioxide producers welcome EC anti-dumping investigation on China imports

BRUSSELS, Nov. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The European Titanium Dioxide ad Hoc Coalition welcomes the European Commission's decision to initiate anti-dumping proceedings into imports of titanium dioxide from China. 

On 13 November the Commission officially initiated an anti-dumping proceeding to investigate whether imports of titanium dioxide from China have been dumped on the Union market and whether they have caused material injury to the EU industry.  

This investigation was triggered by a complaint lodged by the Coalition in September 2023.

The Coalition is firmly committed to cooperate during this investigation to provide all the necessary information for the European Commission to conduct its investigation. 

Background 

• Imports of TiO₂ from China into the Union have sharply and continually increased over the past years. This rapid evolution of imports of TiO₂ from China has been made possible due to high dumping practices by Chinese exporters on the EU market. These unfair practices from Chinese exporters have caused severe injury to the Union TiO₂ industry. During the past years, the EU producers have seen their profitability reduced at levels which became largely unsustainable. 
• The Coalition presented evidence showing that Chinese exporters have been practicing dumping on the EU market. The dumping margins estimated by the Coalition amounted to between 45 and 65%. Due to these unfair trade practices, TiO₂ imports from China have sharply and continually increased and gained significant market shares during the past three years. Chinese exporters have no competitive advantage over EU producers. They gained market shares on the Union market only because they practiced high dumping to the detriment of the Union industry.  
• Several factories in the Union had to stop their TiO₂ production due to the pressure exerted by Chinese dumped imports. Unfair practices by Chinese exporting producers threaten the viability of the Union TiO₂ industry. Chinese TiO₂ exporting producers understood their dumping strategy would cause severe injury to the Union TiO₂ industry. Chinese TiO₂ suppliers speak openly of closing TiO₂ production lines in the Union and exercising pressure to reduce installed capacity. 
• It is in the Union's interest to keep a Union production of TiO₂, as it is a key product for several industries, including strategic sectors, and it supports EU environmental policies. Offsetting Chinese unfair practices will lessen EU dependency on imported critical raw materials by diversifying and securing a domestic and sustainable supply of critical raw materials. 
• The Coalition remains fully committed to fighting unfair trade and restoring the level playing field in the EU titanium dioxide market. The Coalition wants to promote fair trade and support a trade environment where Union TiO₂ producers can fairly compete with TiO₂ imports from all origins. Only by restoring a level playing field in the EU can we secure the existence of the Union TiO₂ industry, allow the industry to make sound investment returns, and protect manufacturing jobs in the EU.  
• The capacity of the EU industry can meet 90% of the EU demand. In addition, several alternative sources of imports exist in addition to domestic supply. Therefore, customers can be ensured that this anti-dumping action will cause no supply disruption on the EU market. 

The European Titanium Dioxide Ad Hoc Coalition is composed of titanium dioxide Union producers, which joined efforts to defend the titanium dioxide Union industry against material injury caused by the dumping of imports of titanium dioxide from China. The Coalition is not a permanent organisation. 

Contacts:

Francesca Micheletti, FGS Global
M +49 170 801 74 95
francesca.micheletti@fgsglobal.com

SOURCE European Titanium Dioxide ad Hoc Coalition