Copa and Cogeca strongly regret the decision of the Chinese authorities to impose preliminary anti-dumping tariffs on EU pork exports. EU pigmeat producers do not engage in anti-dumping practices and have fully cooperated with the investigation and all requests from the Chinese authorities.
At this stage, a full analysis of the measures is not yet possible, but their impact will undoubtedly cause serious damage to European pig producers, particularly in those Member States most active on the Chinese market.
Companies that collaborated with the investigation, originating from the EU top pork exporting countries to China, received lower duties ranging from 15.6% to 32.7%, while all others received a 62.4%. The consequences will be felt well beyond direct exports, with indirect pressure building on EU internal pigmeat markets. This pressure comes in addition to the further opening of EU markets for US pork products and a general moment of instability for EU’s pork exports.
Reacting to the announcement, Antonio Tavares, Chair of Copa-Cogeca’s Working Party on Pigmeat, stated:
“It is unacceptable that European pigmeat producers are being forced to pay the price for political trade disputes. These measures only serve to strengthen our global competitors while weakening EU producers. The European Commission must urgently rethink its trade policy and ensure that the farming sector is not treated as a bargaining chip in international negotiations.”
Copa and Cogeca call on the European institutions to address this issue with the utmost urgency and to ensure that European pig producers are not left bearing the burden of wider trade disputes.
Fonte: Copa and Cogeca
