The European Commission has opened an anti-dumping investigation into imports of Chinese graphite electrodes used in electric arc furnaces, Kallanish learns from an official document.
The investigation was launched following a complaint lodged in January by Graphite Cova GmbH, Showa Denko Carbon Holding GmbH and Tokai ErftCarbon GmbH.
The European Commission says the complainants proved there was an increase in volumes of graphite electrodes from China and a negative impact on prices. They also showed there was significant raw materials price distortion involved in the production of the electrodes in China.
“According to the evidence in the complaint, pitch needle coke, that accounts for more than 17% of the cost of production of the product under investigation, is subject to VAT refund withdrawal in the country concerned,” the Commissions says. “On the basis of a comparison of prices of pitch needle coke in Japan with those in the country concerned, the complaint establishes that the raw material distortions appear to result in prices significantly below those of representative international markets.”
If dumping is confirmed during the investigation, provisional measures are set to be imposed in the fourth quarter.
