EC proposes 2 more years of duties on Chinese solar

The European Commission (EC) is proposing to keep the punitive duties on imports of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and cells from Asia for two more years.

The EC launched in December 2015 an expiry review of the anti-dumping duties on crystalline silicon solar imports from China. The proposed continuation for the duties and minimum import prices needs the approval of Member States, with a final decision due by early March 2017.

In a statement today, Oliver Schaefer, president of SolarPower Europe, said that “the large majority of European stakeholders want to see the removal of the trade barriers”. He called on EU member states to support the European solar market.

In December 2013, the EC imposed anti-dumping and anti-subsidy levies on Chinese PV. These would have ended on December 7, 2015 if the watchdog had not initiated expiry reviews.

More than 400 European companies from all segments of the value chain in October wrote to European trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom with a request to end the trade duties imposed on Chinese solar modules and cells. Very soon EU ProSun also sent to the EC a list of 150 installers that support the extension of the measures.

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