The EU is launching an anti-dumping investigation in plywood imports. Producers in the EU are citing a surge in cheap hardwood plywood which they say is coming from China, but they believe originates in Russia. Source: Timberbiz
The Greenwood Consortium representing forest owners, loggers and suppliers say the investigation is critical to protect the EU industry.
The plywood is cheap and comes from conflict timber areas, Russian timber is banned in the EU. It was the Greenwood Consortium that initiated the complaint against China in late August this year stating that Chinese imports are being sold at very low prices undercutting European companies.
There has been a significant increase in Chinese plywood imports into the EU. Russia is said to be exporting hardwood into China which is being used in the production of the plywood.
EU has countries such as Poland, Finland, the Baltic States and France producing plywood, and the industry is said to employ around 10,000 people.
Tariffs are already in place on birch plywood imports from Kazakhstan and Turkey as they included Russian content.
The EU Commission will examine if pricing misrepresentations have resulted in damage to the EU producers who claim declining sales are hurting the industry. The investigation is likely to take more than 12 months. However, all Chinese plywood imports will be registered at EU borders so that future tariffs may be imposed retrospectively.
Other countries such as Morocco, the US and South Korea have tariffs on Chinese wood imports.
