Recently, the European Commission announced in the Official Journal of the European Union that it has imposed provisional anti-dumping duties of up to 62.4% on hardwood plywood imported from China, effective June 11.
Despite strong opposition from multiple EU plywood importers and Chinese manufacturers, the investigation-initiated on October 11 last year-was pushed forward with support from 17 EU hardwood plywood industry companies. The probe followed allegations that cheaper Chinese hardwood plywood was harming the EU plywood industry.
The European Commission's final findings supported these claims, stating that the EU industry's current profit levels are unsustainably low. The measures are expected to help EU producers raise sales prices and restore profitability.
According to China's General Administration of Customs, in 2024, China exported over 5,404 metric tons of plywood to EU countries, accounting for 70% of its total engineered wood product exports (including veneer, decorative panels, etc.), with an export value of $21.95 million. Undoubtedly, this move could significantly impact Sino-EU trade, potentially affecting tens of millions of dollars in commerce while driving up raw material procurement costs for EU-based manufacturers.
Currently, most Chinese hardwood plywood imports face the 62.4% provisional duty, though rates vary based on the EU Commission's company-specific findings. For instance, a plywood manufacturer in Xuzhou, Jiangsu, has been assigned a lower duty of 25.1%.
For Chinese exporters, the increased tariff burden may lead to a sharp decline in shipments, overcapacity, and operational challenges. Meanwhile, for EU businesses, the high tariffs erode the price competitiveness of Chinese hardwood plywood, creating a protective market space for domestic producers. However, without Chinese supply, alternative low-cost suppliers-such as those in Southeast Asia-could emerge as new threats to the EU industry.
