Moreno Fioravanti, Secretary General of the European Bicycle Manufacturers Association (EBMA) said: “The EBMA applauds the European Commission decision to impose provisional anti-dumping measures on e-bikes imported from China, which have flooded the EU at an alarming rate and artificially low prices.
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The Commission’s examination has confirmed the existence of dumping and injury to European e-bike manufacturing. Hence, with broad support from EU Member States, the European Commission has imposed provisional dumping duties to prevent further injury to European industry. Today’s decision by the European Union should send a clear signal to Chinese e-bike companies to stop their dumping, and give European e-bike manufacturers an opportunity to recover lost sales. Provisional measures will be an essential step toward securing final trade defence measures, as well as a level playing field for European e-bike manufacturers and the future of their employees.”
The European Commission announced today in the Official Journal that provisional anti-dumping duties “will allow all producers to operate under conditions of fair trade on the Union market. In the absence of measures, a further deterioration of the Union industry’s economic and financial situation is very likely.”
The European Commission launched an anti-dumping investigation on 20 October 2017 of EU imports of Chinese e-bikes. The European Commission’s investigation showed today that: “Prices of dumped imports from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) significantly undercut Union industry prices during the investigation period”, and “During the period considered, the Union Industry lost 23 points of market share in a market growing by 74% while imports from the Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC) increased by 250% and gained 17 points of market share from 18% to 35%.”
Fioravanti said: “European trade unions, bicycle manufacturers, small businesses and cyclists have made clear to the European Commission that the EU must act to stop the dumping of Chinese e-bikes. Now that European importers are faced with the Commission’s confirmation of the existence of dumping, they should stop facilitating the injury inflicted on European industry, EU employment and the environment.European e-bikes are the right green choice for European consumers.”
As stated in today’s Official Journal: “The Commission found that the interest of the consumer cannot be reduced to the price impact of bringing imports from the PRC to non-injurious levels. On the contrary, there is evidence that consumer choice is driven by other factors such as variety, quality, innovation, and service which can only be achieved under normal market conditions with fair and open competition. The Commission therefore concluded that the measures would not unduly affect the situation of consumers and would contribute to the sustainable development of electric bicycles in Europe and its wider benefits to society in terms of protection of the environment and improved mobility.”
Fioravanti concluded: “The decision on 3 May 2018 by the European Union to register all imported e-bikes from China, was a first vital step for the legitimate defence of European industry against unfair competition. Today’s decision to impose provisional measures is the next critical step to stop China dumping e-bikes in the EU. Without such measures China would take over the major share of the EU e-bike market already in 2018. China’s unfair trade practices would cause the inevitable decline of the EU industry even after it has generated so many innovative products, especially the pedal-assist e-bikes (EPAC’s), and record investments of over 1 billion euros per year in the EU. Provisional measures strengthen the legitimate defence of 90,000 EU workers and over 800 SMEs against unfair competition from China.”
