China imposes anti-dumping tariffs on EU pork imports

CHINA – China’s Ministry of Commerce has said it is introducing provisional anti-dumping tariffs on pork and pig by-products imported from the European Union.

The ministry announced preliminary findings that European producers have been selling pork at unfairly low prices in the Chinese market.

As a result, imports of pork and related products from the bloc will now face duties ranging from 15.6% to 62.4%, starting September 10.

According to Chinese authorities, the large inflow of European pork is harming local producers and poses a risk to the country’s livestock sector.

The new duties target European pork shipments worth more than US$2 billion, making this a major trade decision for the industry.

The action follows an anti-dumping investigation launched in June 2024, which many analysts view as Beijing’s response to the European Union’s tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles.

Although the European Commission has not yet issued a formal reply, it previously criticised China’s probe, calling it based on weak evidence and disputed claims.

Producers across the EU had been monitoring the situation closely, hoping that negotiations between Brussels and Beijing could prevent steep trade penalties.

However, the absence of any compromise now leaves European exporters facing significant restrictions in one of their most important markets.

Impact on European producers

France is among the EU member states likely to feel the impact, as its pork industry has long counted China as a key destination for certain products.

INAPORC, the country’s national pork industry body, has often highlighted the Chinese market as particularly important for cuts such as offal, which see limited consumer demand within Europe.

In 2023, French exporters sent about 115,700 metric tonnes of pork products to China, representing 16% of the country’s overall pork exports.

These figures show the scale of exposure to the Chinese market for European producers who now face higher costs to maintain access.

Next steps in the trade dispute

China has stressed that the tariffs announced this week are provisional and could change depending on the final results of the investigation.

The Ministry of Commerce has said the probe is expected to conclude in December, at which point a final decision will be made on whether to keep, adjust, or remove the duties.

For now, the move adds another layer of strain to the already tense trade relationship between Beijing and Brussels.

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