2024-10-23 22:10:00
Trade tensions between China and the European Union (EU) continue to worry some sectors of the Old Continent. After the introduction of surcharges on the import of Chinese electric vehicles into the EU, Beijing announced a reciprocity measure regarding cognac. Now, the pork industry fears it may suffer the same fate.
In January 2024, the Chinese opened an anti-dumping investigation into European brandy, suspecting that some EU countries were subsidizing these products and then selling them at higher prices on the Chinese market. A retaliatory measure after the decision of the 27 to impose import surcharges Chinese electric vehicles in the Old Continent.
In France, the fate of the cognac industry thus became the trade stall symbol between Beijing and Brussels. But it is not the only subject of an anti-dumping investigation by China, as it also concerns European pork. The procedure was opened last June.
Industry operators are now sounding the alarm, because China is the main destination for European pork exports. If Beijing applied a surcharge, it would become less attractive to Chinese traders. With another consequence: the major European exporters – Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark – would flood the domestic market with their products, causing a collapse in prices.
Up to 7 billion euros in losses
Consequences quantified by the Interprofession of the French pig sector (Inaporc). If China imposed taxes of 30 to 60%, the sector would lose up to 7 billion euros in Europe and 500 million euros in France. French operators in the sector are particularly worried, because Beijing is one important outletespecially for offal, pig feet and ears. “ The only people who eat that much and at that price are the Chinese. », underlines Anne Richard, director of Inaporc.
At this point the procedure continues. Companies that export pork to China have already completed a questionnaire detailing their activities. Three of them – Spanish, Dutch and Danish companies – have been selected for further study to determine whether or not dumping exists. Anne Richard assures that Europeans argue with one voice against the Chinese, even if she is worried: “ public authorities did not measure the impact » of these possible supplements.
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