Moreno Fioravanti, Secretary General of the European Bicycle Manufacturers Association (EBMA) said:
“Today, the EU has imposed total additional duties on Chinese e-bikes from 18.8% to 79.3%. The European Commission has listened to calls from European trade unions, bicycle manufacturers, small businesses and cyclists to stop the dumping of Chinese e-bikes. After a thorough investigation, the European Commission established that Chinese manufacturers dump e-bikes at predatory prices to seize EU market share, and receive illegal subsidies from the Chinese government.”
“The EU’s definitive trade defence measures will shield over 800 European Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and 90,000 EU jobs against unfair competition from China. EU anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures will lead to the creation of over 4,500 new European jobs already in the first half of 2019 thanks to the reshoring of the production of 900,000 e-bikes this year. The large number of EU bicycle producers will ensure a competitive and innovative environment, offering European consumers a large and diversified portfolio of attractive pedal assist e-bikes in all price ranges. Importers can easily purchase e-bikes manufactured in 22 EU Member states, and
fairly traded e-bikes from China and non-EU countries around the world.”
“Unfortunately, Chinese e-bike manufacturers have already started circumventing EU trade measures through third countries. EBMA will do whatever it takes to stop such illegal circumvention. European importers need to double check that their suppliers are genuine, and not simply repackaging Chinese e-bikes in contravention of EU anti-circumvention laws. EU importers are welcome to contact EBMA for assistance to avoid breaking EU rules and to stop circumvention from China”.
In 2017 the EBMA filed complaints with the European Commission, calling for urgent trade defence measures on ebikes from China. In view of an alarming market reality, the European Commission launched an anti-dumping investigation on 20 October 2017 of EU imports of Chinese e-bikes, followed by an anti-subsidy investigation
initiated on 21 December 2017.
The European Commission’s investigation showed that prices of dumped imports from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) significantly undercut Union industry prices, and imports from the Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC) increased by 250% during the investigation period while European industry lost substantial market share. Therefore, on 18 July 2018 the European Commission imposed provisional anti-dumping measures on e-bikes imported from China.
Fioravanti said: “There is a direct correlation between the provisional trade measures of July 2018 and a drop in dumping. Chinese e-bike exports to the EU fell from an average of 100,000 per month in the first half of 2018 to less than 15,000 per month in the second half. EU trade defence instruments clearly work and today’s landmark decision will bolster a win-win situation for EU industry, traders, consumers and the environment. EU manufactured e-bikes are the right green choice for EU Consumers.”
“We are grateful for the European Commission’s diligent and timely intervention to prevent the loss of a key electric transport product market to dumped e-bikes from China. We are also grateful to important allies that have supported us throughout this case, especially the European Small Business Alliance (ESBA), AEGIS Europe
representing 30 European industry sectors, and the European trade union IndustriAll which is the voice of 7 million workers across Europe,” concluded Fioravanti.
Here you can find the Official Publications for the anti-dumping and for the anti-subsidy case.