EU ProSun welcomes start of EC investigation on Chinese solar product makers

Sep 6, 2012 - European solar industry association EU ProSun today welcomed the decision of the European Commission (EC) to start an anti-dumping investigation on imports of solar products from China.

Chinese companies are currently selling solar products in Europe below their cost of production, with a dumping margin of 60 % to 80%, Milan Nitzschke, EU ProSun head as well as vice president and company spokesman of German sector player Solarworld AG (ETR:SWV), said. This caused more than 20 European companies to exit the business in 2012 alone, Nitzschke said.

"Trade measures would only restore fair competition with China, and prevent a monopoly over solar manufacturing that would be bad for European consumers, jobs, installers and industry," EU ProSun said in a press release today.

EC's investigation was initiated in response to a complaint against Chinese manufacturers, launched on July 25, 2012 by EU Pro Sun.

EU Pro Sun represents more than 20 European companies producing solar products and their combined output accounts to more than 25% of the EU production.

The investigation will take 15 months, whereas it is possible to impose provisional anti-dumping duties within nine months, provided there is sufficient evidence of dumping, the EC said.

China exported solar products worth around EUR 21 billion (USD 26.5bn) to the European Union (EU) in 2011.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.261)

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