Tires File photo: VCG

The European Commission (EC) launched a so-called investigation to assess whether anti-dumping measures are warranted on imports of tyres for passenger cars and light lorries from China, the executive body of the EU said in a statement on Wednesday.

If the investigation confirms that the EU tyre industry suffers from injury or threat of injury because of dumped imports from China, the EC may impose anti-dumping duties on imports if these are found to be in the interest of the EU. The investigation shall be concluded within 14 months of its launch, according to the statement.

This marks another protectionist move by the EU against relevant Chinese industries. Last year, the EC imposed so-called countervailing duties of up 45 percent on electric vehicles (EVs) from China, drawing harsh criticism from China. 

If the EC decides to impose so-called anti-dumping duties on Chinese tyres following its investigation, it will not only damage the interests of Chinese enterprises, but also harm the healthy development of the EU tire and auto industry as well as the interests of EU consumers, according to Zhao Junjie, a senior research fellow at the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"The EU's recent move reflected its complex mentality toward China. On the one hand, Europe relies on China's market, technology and supply chain; but on the other hand, it is afraid of competition from China," Zhao said, adding that protectionist moves won't help the EU industry in the long run. 

Prior to Wednesday's move, the EC also in May 2018 announced so-called interim tariffs on truck and bus tyres imported from China. 

In response to the Global Times' request for comment, Gao Feng, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce at that time, said that China noted that in the process of the investigation, the EU commission is still using the unfair methodology of "analogue country," where other countries business data is used instead of China's business cost data, resulting in an artificial lift of dumping margin. 

The tyre companies from the two sides have close cooperation in technology development and market expansion, and the restrictive measures on Chinese products will harm not only the interests of Chines businesses, but also the interests of European tyre industries in the long-term development and European consumers, Gao said, calling for prudent investigations and fair treatment to Chines companies. 

Global Times