European Commission imposes anti-dumping duties on Chinese tire imports

Brussels, Belgium – The European Commission said Thursday it has approved definitive anti-dumping duties on imports of certain tires from China used on passenger cars and light trucks and buses after determining the products were sold in the European Union at unfairly low prices.

The duties range from 4.3% to 45.3%, depending on the manufacturer. The Commission said the measures are intended to offset the effects of dumping and help ensure fair competition for tire makers operating within the EU.

Under the decision, tires produced by Hankook’s manufacturing operations in China will face a duty of 4.3%, while products from Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group Co. will be subject to the highest rate of 45.3%. Other Chinese producers will pay duties based on the findings of the Commission’s investigation.

EU officials said the investigation concluded that low-priced imports from China put significant pressure on European manufacturers, reducing their ability to compete and affecting the industry’s financial performance. The Commission said the sector supports more than 80,000 jobs across 14 EU member states.

The measures were adopted under the European Union’s trade defense framework, which permits anti-dumping duties when imported goods are found to be priced below their normal value and to have caused harm to producers in the bloc.

The decision comes amid broader trade frictions between Brussels and Beijing, with both sides pursuing trade-related investigations and other measures affecting a range of industrial products.