European Union opened an anti-dumping investigation into Chinese furfuryl alcohol on Oct. 16, 2026, with possible duties by June 2027.<\/p>\n
The European Commission opened an anti-dumping investigation into furfuryl alcohol imported from China on Oct. 16, 20261<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The notice of initiation was published that day in the Official Journal of the European Union1<\/a><\/sup>. An anti-dumping investigation checks whether foreign goods are sold in the European Union (EU) below their normal price and whether this harms EU makers.<\/p>\n In short, no new duty applies yet, and shipments of furfuryl alcohol from China clear customs as before. But the Commission could set provisional duties by June 16, 2027<\/strong>, so buyers now face a price risk on future orders2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Furfuryl alcohol is a chemical with the formula C4H3O-CH2OH1<\/a><\/sup>. The notice calls it "FA" and identifies it by its Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number, CAS 98-00-0<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>. A CAS number is a unique code that chemists use to name one substance.<\/p>\n At the border, the goods fall under CN code ex 2932 13 00<\/strong>, with TARIC code 2932 13 00 301<\/a><\/sup>. The CN code is the EU’s product code for customs, and TARIC is its more detailed EU tariff code. The "ex" means only part of that code is covered.<\/p>\n The Commission says the codes are given for information only1<\/a><\/sup>. The product description in the notice decides what is covered, not the code. Only furfuryl alcohol that originates in China is under investigation1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Two companies lodged the complaint on Sept. 2, 2026<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>. They are:<\/p>\n The Commission accepted that the complaint was made by the EU industry for furfuryl alcohol1<\/a><\/sup>. It names TransFurans Chemicals BV as the known EU producer that will receive its questionnaire3<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The complainants say that the volume of Chinese imports is significant1<\/a><\/sup>. They also say that falling import prices pushed down the prices charged by EU makers. According to the complaint, this caused "substantial adverse effects" on their finances1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Normally, dumping is measured by comparing the export price with the price in the home market. The complainants argue that this comparison does not work for China1<\/a><\/sup>. They say that prices and costs there are bent by "significant distortions"<\/strong>, meaning heavy state influence on the economy.<\/p>\n To support this, they used a Commission report on distortions in China’s economy, dated April 10, 20241<\/a><\/sup>. They pointed to state presence in the chemicals sector. They also pointed to distorted costs for land, energy, capital, raw materials and labour1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The complainants also cited Chinese plans and laws. These include the 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans and an action plan for non-grain bio-based materials1<\/a><\/sup>. They also cited guidance from Henan province and China’s laws on state-owned assets and companies1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The Commission found enough evidence to start the case on this basis1<\/a><\/sup>. The EU anti-dumping law, Regulation (EU) 2016\/1036, allows this method1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The dumping margin is the gap between the fair price and the export price. Here, the fair price, called the normal value, will be built from costs taken from a country without such distortions1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The complaint proposes South Africa as the comparison country<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>. The Commission also names South Africa as a possible choice1<\/a><\/sup>. It will look for a country with a similar level of development to China, with production of furfuryl alcohol and with data that is easy to find.<\/p>\n Both prices are compared at the factory gate, called the "ex-works" level1<\/a><\/sup>. The complainants say the margins found this way are significant1<\/a><\/sup>. The notice does not publish a figure for them.<\/p>\n The investigation of dumping and harm covers July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>. The Commission calls this the investigation period.<\/p>\n To judge trends in the harm to EU makers, it will look further back. That period runs from Jan. 1, 2023 to the end of the investigation period1<\/a><\/sup>. Import volumes, prices and the EU industry’s results across these years will shape the findings.<\/p>\n The Commission may pick a sample of companies to study instead of all of them1<\/a><\/sup>. This is called sampling, and it applies to Chinese exporters and to EU importers that are not linked to them.<\/p>\nWhat is furfuryl alcohol and which goods are covered?<\/h2>\n
Who asked the Commission for the investigation?<\/h2>\n
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Why does the complaint say Chinese prices cannot be used?<\/h2>\n
How will the dumping margin be measured?<\/h2>\n
Which period will the Commission examine?<\/h2>\n
What must Chinese exporters and EU importers do?<\/h2>\n
Days allowed after the Oct. 16 notice, by task<\/h4>\n