EU investigates illegal plastic bag imports

Archiv – The European Commission has initiated anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into imports of polyethylene plastic bags from China, Malaysia and Thailand.
The move was in response to complaints filed by more than 30 EU producers of polyethylene plastic bags. The European Commission has initiated anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into imports of polyethylene plastic bags from China, Malaysia and Thailand.
The move was in response to complaints filed by more than 30 EU producers of polyethylene plastic bags.
The investigations will examine unfair dumping and subsidisation of imported vest carrier, refuse, fruit & vegetable, freezer, retail and other similar polyethylene plastic bags. The complaint alleges that these plastic bags are being dumped in the European Union at margins of over 70% and are being subsidised by a margin exceeding 30%. It is claimed that these trade practices are causing a significant increase in imports from China, Malaysia, and Thailand and are severely damaging EU producers.
As a result of unfairly-priced imports, numerous EU producers have already been forced out of business, according to John Persenda, President of the European Federation of Plastic Films Producers (EuPC). ’Others have abandoned Europe and moved their jobs and facilities to Asia,’ he adds. ‘€˜We believe in free and fair trade, but we also consider that action is necessary when unfair dumping and subsidisation are destroying our industry. The imposition of duties consistent with EU and global trade rules will provide a critical remedy to address these unfair trade practices and ensure the security of our companies and their workers.’€™
In July 2004, the USA imposed anti-dumping duties of up to 122% on imports of polyethylene plastic bags from China, Malaysia and Thailand. These duties were imposed following determinations by the US Department of Commerce and the US International Trade Commission that dumped imports were causing material injury to the US industry.
According to EU rules, provisional anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties may be imposed within the next nine months and final duties may be imposed within 15 months. The final duties would last for a period of five years.