EU not to impose duties on ethanol imports from US

Jul 30, 2012 - The European Union (EU) said last week it would not issue an order on the preliminary introduction of anti-dumping or anti-subsidy duties for ethanol imports from the US.

The announcement comes as a response to the European Producers Union of Renewable Ethanol Association's (ePURE) accusation from the autumn of last year that government subsidies for ethanol production in the US presented an unfair advantage for sector firms and thus affected European sector players.

The EU's final say on the matter is expected in December this year.

ePure, formed by the merger of the European Union of Ethanol Producers and the European Bioethanol Fuel Association, called for the EU to take measures against US-subsidised ethanol imports in November 2011. At the time, it motivated its move with statistics showing that from 2008 to 2010, US imports of ethanol in Europe had jumped by over 500%. "This impressive trend is the direct result of US federal and sub-federal subsidies, which allow US operators to adopt aggressive pricing practices on the European market," ePure said in a statement then.

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