The European Commission today announced the launch of a new anti-dumping investigation into unfairly priced imports of hardwood plywood from China into the European Union. Procedurally, the initiation of the investigation, for the first time ever, will require registration of all imports of Chinese hardwood plywood at EU borders. This would allow European customs officials to collect additional duties retroactively if they are imposed as a result of the Commission’s findings after the investigation. The investigation was initiated at the request of nine leading European plywood producers who formed the Greenwood Consortium. Paged is a supporting member of this Consortium.
In the Consortium’s announcement, we can read: “ The investigation will now examine whether Chinese producers are indeed dumping hardwood plywood in the EU, and what the consequences of those practices for European businesses are. Several other countries and markets, including the US, Morocco, Turkey and South Korea, have already taken action to protect their own industries from similar unfair trade practices.”
Jaroslaw Michniuk, CEO of Paged Morag, commented on the Commission’s decision as follows:
– We are pleased that the Commission has granted the Greenwood Consortium’s request and launched an investigation, the course of which we will be following closely. The investigation itself takes up to 14 months, however, as was the case in the proceedings against Russian birch plywood producers, the European Commission can impose so-called provisional duties after just about 6 months. We also welcome the Commission’s announcement of the registration of hardwood plywood imports at the EU border, as this makes retroactive duties possible.
As the Consortium’s press release points out, many countries are protecting their markets and entire value chain against cheap Chinese imports – for example, the US has imposed a 200% duty on Chinese plywood. – We, too, expect high values of additional duty on Chinese plywood. – Michniuk adds.
Paged has been an active supporter of fair competition in the EU plywood market for years. The company co-founded the Woodstock Consortium, at the request of which the European Commission conducted anti-dumping proceedings and imposed tariffs on Russian plywood even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as tariffs on Turkey and Kazakhstan for circumventing these regulations.
– The imposition of sanctions on plywood from Russia and Belarus has caused these countries to try to find ways to reach the EU market with their illegal goods, Michniuk explains. One of the directions that is gaining dynamic importance today is China. Keeping in mind that already today China is the largest supplier of plywood to the European Union, it is so important that trade with this country takes place in accordance with WTO regulations.
We learn from Financial Times article that: “According to Eurostat, the EU imported about 750,000 cubic meters of hardwood plywood from China worth €327 million in 2023, accounting for more than half of imports and 30 percent of the total EU market.”
About Paged:
Founded more than 90 years ago, Paged is now one of the five largest plywood manufacturers and a significant producer of wooden chairs in the European Union. It employs around 1,700 people and has a total of five production facilities in Poland and Estonia. It offers innovative solutions and products that are used in a wide range of industries, such as interior design and furnishings, construction, transportation and packaging in nearly eighty markets around the world. As of 2019, Paged is developing and implementing technological and product innovations based on the unique competencies of its own research and development center, Paged LabTech.
Paged’s member companies Paged Pisz, Paged Morąg, Paged Eesti, Paged Trade, Paged Furniture, Paged LabTech, Paged Deutschland and BUK Ltd. are part of the Thumos Group, a private, Polish industrial and investment consortium.
Media contact:
Magdalena Kicińska, magdalena.kicinska@paged.pl, Mobile.: +48 725520874
