European Union customs must register imports of glass beads up to 2 mm from China from Oct. 1, 2026, so anti-dumping duties can later be charged retroactively.
The European Commission has told customs authorities across the European Union to register all imports of small glass beads from China from Oct. 1, 2026, so that anti-dumping duties can later be charged on them backwards in time1.
The order is Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2162 of Sept. 29, 2026, published in the Official Journal on Sept. 30, 20261. It enters into force the day after publication1.
In short, Chinese glass beads still enter the EU without any new duty today. But customs will now record each shipment, and if the EU later sets duties, importers may have to pay them on goods that already arrived.
Which glass beads from China are covered?
The regulation covers solid glass microspheres, sold in trade as "glass beads"1. These are solid glass balls no larger than 2 mm in diameter, with or without a surface coating1. The rule applies whatever the beads are used for and however they are made1.
The beads fall under four customs codes in the EU tariff (CN codes ex 7002 10 00, ex 7018 10 90, ex 7018 20 00 and ex 7018 90 90)1. The matching TARIC codes, the EU’s detailed import codes, are:
- 7002 10 00 20
- 7018 10 90 10
- 7018 20 00 10
- 7018 90 90 10
The Commission adds that beads matching the product description are covered even if they are declared under a different code1. A shipment cannot escape registration through its tariff heading alone.
Which glass beads are left out?
Small pierced glass balls, the kind threaded on string, are not covered1. These fall under CN codes 7018 10 11 and 7018 10 191. Shipments of these pierced beads are not registered under the new rule.
Not registered
What does registration mean for a glass bead shipment?
Registration means customs keeps a record of each covered import while the investigation runs1. The purpose is to allow anti-dumping duties, if any are set, to be charged retroactively on those registered imports1. An anti-dumping duty is an extra import tax on goods sold abroad below their normal price.
No duty is due at the border now. The Commission says any future payment would follow from the findings of its investigation1. Whether duties will in fact be collected backwards will be decided in the regulation that sets final duties, if one is adopted1.
The Commission acted on its own initiative under Article 14(5) of the EU anti-dumping law, Regulation (EU) 2016/10361. Registration ends nine months after entry into force1.
How high could the duties on glass beads be?
The EU producers’ complaint estimated a dumping margin of 77.48% for the period from Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 20251. The dumping margin is the gap between the export price and the normal price. The complaint also estimated an injury elimination level of 125%, the price gap needed to stop the harm to EU producers1.
Estimates in the EU producers’ complaint, %
Under EU law, the duty would normally be the lower of these two figures1. But the Commission says it cannot yet estimate any future amount1. The complaint’s numbers are for information only and create no expectation about the final level1.
There is one exception. If the Commission finds distorted raw material costs in China, it may set the duty at the full dumping margin1. It would do so if a lower duty would not be enough to remove the injury to EU producers1.
Who asked for the glass bead investigation?
The Commission opened the anti-dumping case on July 16, 2026, with a notice in the Official Journal1. It followed a complaint lodged on June 24, 20261. The complaining companies said they represent more than 25% of EU production of these beads1. They are:
- M. Swarovski GmbH
- Swarco Vestglas GmbH and Swarco Schönborn GmbH
- Sovitec Belgium, Sovitec France and Sovitec Iberica SAU
- Potters Ballotini SASZ and Potters Ballotini Gmbh
- Intermiglass SP. Z O.O.
The glass bead case so far
The July notice of initiation already warned of this step. It said the Commission intended to tell customs to register Chinese glass beads at an early stage, which "may lead to retroactive collection of definitive duties"2.
When could duties on Chinese glass beads start?
The notice of initiation sets the timetable. Provisional duties, a temporary charge set during the case, may be imposed no later than eight months from the notice’s publication2. The whole investigation must end within one year, and not more than 14 months, from that date2.
The Commission will give four weeks’ warning before any provisional duties2. It will also tell parties four weeks ahead if it decides not to impose them2. Until then, every registered shipment of Chinese glass beads entering the EU carries the risk of a later duty bill.
Sources
- ↩ L_202602162EN.000101.fmx.xml https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32026R2162
- ↩ EUR-Lex – 52026XC03713 – EN – EUR-Lex http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/3713/oj